The other night I was reflecting on the internet. Imagine that a Minister/marketing guy reflecting on the internet and God in the same thought patterns. Hang in there it will make sense soon! In my adult life the internet invaded into my world. Now it is a daily part of my life and as well a good portion of my monthly income is generated online now due to the internet and business combined.
My kids age range is between 5-15 and they all totally get the internet and it’s apart of our communication, income, news and socialization to some degree. The other night I was thinking about search engines and how powerful they are and in particular a new tool I discover that Google offers. It's a tool that tracks your every website you ever visited based on having a gmail account. You can even see how many pages and websites you visit, what time of day, etc. As I pondered the internet and how I search for everything through Google it began to sink in to my spirit how powerful a tool Google has become and is still becoming and its influence on assistence in leaving a living legacy to certain people and the generations yet to be born.
The other day I met a gentleman and as we became more acquainted I decided to Google his name one night to see if I could get to know him better. After a few minutes I discover more about him than I would have likely learned from him in months of relationships. It became a gauge in my perception of who he was. It was a good gauge as well. From time to time I have even googled my own name to see what come up in what order on Google and how many websites my name appears on or mentioned in. It's kind of funny! I hope I will still say that in another 10 years.
The reality is that people could post lies and false accusations about people and it too is likely to pop up in ole Mr. Google. Then it hit me that Google has become in knowledge content to man what God has always been since creation. God knows all the facts known and EVEN UNKNOWN TO MAN about everyone and everything, after all God is the all knowing and The ever present God of the universe. On judgment day every thing will be made known that was secret and truth will ring throughout eternity. I thought, “some day if the Lord tarries through a few more generations my great grandchildren will be able to Google the ole name " peter Migner " (I went ahead and hyperlinked my name to save you the time, go ahead click to check me out there are no secret online) and follow many of the historical events and postings of my life if those websites still exist by then”. If you go down several pages one of the first public posting of my name is from a quote of mine from the Birmingham News by Kent Faulk dated November 13 1997. So, to date I have a 10 year running record on file with Mr. google.
Obviously, the less online you are the less likely Google will find you, but if you are in the news or media regardless if you ever surfed the web, you are still likely going to get found out. The part that all Believers of Jesus should be of careful of is what kind a legacy will follow your name on Google and all search engines after your life expires? Now that we are entering the digital age with video postings, the concerns are going to double and triple. Again I think about the video’s that people post on Youtube and Google that, once posted and shared, may never be retrieved. I realize we should never live in fear, but we should also remember that the things we do online and offline in the digital age could come back to haunt us as no other generation has ever had to experience before.
The other night a good evangelist friend and I were sharing on the phone about yet another high profile Christian public ministry that had fallen from grace in the eyes of the God. He was sharing with me the name of someone that was getting a divorce for an unbiblical reason as best as we understand from the comments going around the news and that had been announced in the media. While I was on the phone I googled the name and many links just popped up with the controversy of yet another Christian leader giving the Wonderful name of Jesus a black eye in the perception of the unbelieving world. Those articles about this couple will likely live online for generations for their own families to have to view and carry the shame as well. Then again shame is not like is use to be, so maybe not. Somehow Google just seems to bring to light more about the public image of people quicker than God might seem to be doing now, but in the end God will confirm the truth and lies of Googles postings about everyone.
So live your life in such a way that God and Google speak well of you. Since the Bible says” by all means that we might win some ” let us be an example off and online to the glory of God. If Google posted things that some people wish were not there, imagine what God knows that will certainly get posted before all eternity if it is not confessed and washed away by the precious atoning blood of Jesus. God’s end times posting are not to be messed with! The better part of the whole story is that God can forgive, forget and wash away our sins to be never held against us again. But with Google it's just not so forgiving or so quick to wash away the bad postings of our lives.
Psalm 103:12-18 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children - 18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Until next time, watch how you live, for you never know what Google might post on you true or false!
Peter Migner, Evangelism Ministries
Welcome to my page. I am an ordained minister of the gospel in the Church of the Nazarene since 1991. As a minister I am available to assist couples with weddings ( male & Female) and families with funerals. If you would like help with planning a wedding my precious wife can also help with her amazing creative ideas. Please feel free to contact us about assisting in your families spiritual and celebration plans. requests@migner.com