Did you know that more people are dying from taking selfies than from shark attacks?

We live in a world where taking a jaw-dropping selfie is causing people to climb higher and push the boundaries further in order to impress others. We post these pictures to social media, hoping to get hundreds of likes. And if those likes don’t come fast enough then the picture is removed and we try again.

So, what is a Bible believing Christ follower to do? How do we keep our pride in check and what does God’s Word say? Here are three passages for us to meditate on before we take our next picture.

Paul urges us in Romans 12:3, “Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.” We judge others by their actions while we often judge ourselves by our intentions. Paul tells us to be honest in our evaluation of ourselves. We are a sinful and broken people whose only hope is found in God and His promise. 

Timothy and Paul challenge us in Philippians 2:3, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.” When we are living by the flesh, we are all about ourselves. Timothy and Paul tell us not to be selfish and not to live for the praise of men. We must allow Christ who lives in us to humble us as we are looking out for the good of others. 

Jesus explained to His disciples in Matthew 20:26-28, “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Even Jesus’ closest followers were arrogant and out of control. Jesus told them that if you want to be a leader you must be a servant. We must be different than the world and instead of being self-centered, we must humbly think of others more highly than ourselves. 

The next time you are posting a picture and catch yourself wondering what others will think of you, remember to evaluate yourself honestly, don’t try to impress others, and use your platform as a way to serve others.