We all want to hallow our own names. To hallow means to set apart, to magnify, to honour. The hallowing of our own names is an age-old problem that goes back to the beginning of history. Adam and Eve wanted to be their own arbitrators or right and wrong. Our forefathers sought to build the Tower of Babel to make a name for themselves rather than for God. Humans are fundamentally narcissistic.
Hallowed be your name
Interestingly, when Jesus gave us a guide for praying to God, he said our first request should be, “Hallowed be your name.” We naturally want to magnify our own names and reputations, but as Christians who know God as Father, we should seek for God’s name to honoured – not ours. The dawn of the Social Media Age makes this a challenge. Facebook is geared towards forming and fermenting an electrifying, exaggerated reputation for ourselves. Through means of deceptive selfie’s and selective status updates we grow an increasing engineered hallowing our own names.
Falsebook?
As Christians, we need to careful what we post and what we picture. As we pray for the hallowing of God’s name are we also working for the hallowing of God’s name – at work, at varsity, at home and on Facebook? Do we seek, first and foremostly, to show others how exciting and fantastic our lives are, or how majestic God is? Do we aim to demonstrate our dependence on God or exert our own independence from all restraints? Are we, at a fundamental level, showing a sinful self-determination or a humble submission to God. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have fun, or post selfies, or let friends know what we are up to. Perhaps the question we should ask is this: is my Facebook page fundamentally different from an unbeliever’s or an atheist’s?
I think I might just review my Facebook page right now.