Tweeting for Good

It was at this point that I began to see the potential for danger on Twitter. I was a recent high school graduate and would soon be going off to college roughly 500 miles from home. I suggested that my wonderful but protective mother get a Twitter account so she could follow me, both figuratively and literally, and she did. I would basically count down the seconds, waiting for my phone to ring after I tweeted about whatever irresponsible or dangerous freshman behavior I had just committed. “Just got a free puppy from Wal-Mart!” and “Out at the train bridge with my friends!” were things my mother probably didn’t appreciate hearing about through my Twitter account.Twitter and I go way back, and though it has its flaws, I have always been an advocate. The potential for good networking and positive,transparent communication is unmatched. Twitter and other social media channels are a huge part of what I can deal with as a public relations major, and in my opinion, the benefits far outweigh the negatives.I think we can all agree that Twitter has exploded on the Harding campus in the last few weeks. New people are joining, organizations and clubs are starting to utilize it, and my phone goes into toxic shock with the number of #chapeltweets I get between 9 and 9:40 a.m.every day. I have seen multiple anonymous accounts pop up discussing campus gossip and mocking club stereotypes, all within a few weeks.My friend and I were having coffee the other day, and we were talking about the recent takeover Twitter has had on campus. We decided that one of the things we like most about using Twitter also makes it very unique. Because Twitter users are typically mobile, they post exactly what is on their minds, in the moment, as if there were a person standing next to them and they could whisper it in their ear. This is good because we are opening ourselves up and getting to experience the small details in our friends’ lives. However, some things are intended to be a whisper and shouldn’t be posted for all to see. Or maybe even said at all.In our discussion over coffee, my friend reminded me of a tweet we had received a few weeks ago from one of my favorite theologians, John Piper. He said, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth tweets.” It is an amusing blend of Scripture and pop culture that easily captures our attention, but the truth of the matter is very alarming. Piper is referring to Luke 6:45, which addresses the things we say having a direct correlation with what our heart is full of. It says that good things come from good stored up in our hearts, and evil things come from evil stored up in our hearts. In the past few weeks, I have noticed Twitter becoming a force for evil rather than for good. I have read some strikingly harsh #chapeltweets and have seen targets placed on individuals, clubs and organizations on campus, and I have to wonder: Are these the things our hearts are full of? Surely not.Therefore, I implore you, brothers and sisters, consider what you are posting on Twitter. Notice that what you say reflects the overflow of your heart. This is crucial. We are called to have hearts that pour out good rather than evil, and our Twitter accounts are a great heart diagnostic tool.HEIDI TABOR is a guest contributor for the Bison. She may be contacted athtabor@harding.edu