King Solomon's Rules for Social Media

From the wisest man of all time - Solomon's Twitter Guidelines ( via Kevin DeYoung). And BTW, these also apply to Facebook and other social media sites!

Twitter can be great. I often find good articles, good lines, and good laughs during my daily Twitter scroll. But Twitter—like any other social media outlet—can be a cesspool of vanity and vice.

I’ve probably broken these rules more than I realize, but here’s how I think about what I should and shouldn’t tweet. A big shout out to King Solomon for his help is putting these 25 guidelines together.

1. Think before you tweet, and don’t be afraid to just delete. There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Prov. 12:18)

2. It’s okay to unfollow some people, block them, or ignore them. Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge (Prov. 14:7)

3. Turn the volume down from 11. Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly (Prov. 14:29).

4. Don’t make things worse. A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention (15:18).

5. Their platform is pointless if it makes an end run around humility. The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor (Prov. 15:33).

6. There is nothing impressive about being a hothead. Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city (Prov. 16:32).

7. Make good news public, and keep bad news as private as possible. Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends (Prov. 17:9).

8. Most Twitter brawls are a waste of time. A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool (Prov. 17:10).

9. Don’t mess around with trolls. Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs rather than a fool in his folly (Prov. 17:12).

10. Seriously, don’t get into fights on Twitter. The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out (Prov. 17:14).

11. Just because you think it, doesn’t mean you have to say it. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent (Prov. 17:28).

12. Get the facts first. If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame (Prov. 18:13).

13. Don’t rush to get your hot take out there as soon as possible. The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him (Prov. 18:17).

14. Relax, it’s probably not a big deal. Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense (Prov. 19.:11).

15. Learn from those who have something to teach. Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future (Prov. 19:20).

16. There is no shame in ignoring your mentions. It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling (Prov. 20:3).

17. Think twice (or three or four or five times) before you make a statement or an accusation that could ruin a person’s reputation. A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold (Prov. 22:1).

18. Don’t go chasing waterfalls. Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of the LORD all the day (Prov. 23:17).

19. Don’t embarrass your Mom and Dad. Let your father and mother be glad; let her who bore you rejoice (Prov. 23:25).

20. Be concerned if you are happy over bad news. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles (Prov. 24:17).

21. Haters gonna hate. Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out (Prov. 24:19-20).

22. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him (Prov. 26:12).

23. Stay out of trouble. Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears (Prov. 26:17).

24. Don’t exaggerate the failings of your enemies or the successes of your friends. A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin (Prov. 26:28).

25. For heaven’s sake, stop retweeting compliments and embedding quotations about your awesomeness. Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips (Prov. 27:2).