In the world of social media, individuals interact in a complex and multifaceted manner. On one hand, a person's comment can be an extension of themselves, where their identity, thoughts, and emotions are being revealed through the words they choose to share. This is often done with some level of personal vulnerability, especially when the comment reflects deeply held beliefs, opinions, or feelings. In this scenario, the person's comment is tied to their self-representation; it becomes a way of reaching out, of communicating their personal essence to others.
On the other hand, social media also allows for anonymity. People can express themselves through a sequence of words that is disconnected from their identity. In such cases, the person behind the comment is hidden, and their words exist independently of their face, name, or persona. This creates a more detached form of interaction where the recipient might not form a clear idea of who the commenter is beyond the content of the message itself. The identity of the speaker remains obscured, and the conceptual image of that person remains incomplete or non-existent.
When another person reads these comments—especially those that are personal and expressive—they begin to form a mental image of the commenter. This image isn’t a literal, visual picture of the person but a conceptual one. Based on what the commenter reveals about themselves—whether through their tone, choice of words, or recurring themes in their posts—the reader begins to construct a version of the person in their own mind. This conceptual picture evolves as more comments and posts are made, each interaction adding depth to the portrait of the individual. It is through this process that a person, by sharing personal thoughts and experiences on social media, gradually communicates a version of themselves to others, existing in the minds of others in a unique, subjective way.
This dynamic of social media, where people communicate who they are through words and interactions, can be seen as a microcosm of the broader human need to be understood, to express one's identity, and to be known by others. Humans often need various forms of mediation—whether it be language, social platforms, or even relationships—to convey their thoughts and selves to others.
However, when we reflect on how God communicates Himself to humanity, particularly in Christian theology, a profound difference emerges. God, the Father, doesn’t require any external means to create an impression or concept of Himself in the mind of another. He is infinite, omniscient, and omnipotent, fully capable of revealing Himself without the need for a medium. Yet, in His wisdom and love, God chooses to communicate Himself through a mediator—His Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ serves as the ultimate and perfect communication of God’s nature and character. Unlike a person's comment on social media, which may be fragmented, partial, or even misunderstood, Christ is the full and complete revelation of God. As it says in John 14:9, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father." Christ mediates God’s communication not only through words but through His life, death, and resurrection, embodying the message of God's love and salvation. Through Jesus, God is not merely an abstract concept or an anonymous force; He is a personal, relational being who enters into human history and invites humanity to know Him intimately.
In this way, while human beings use various tools—such as social media—to create a conceptual image of themselves in others' minds, God, who needs no such tools, chooses the perfect mediator in His Son. This reveals something profound about God’s desire for relationship: even though He is fully self-sufficient and independent, He chooses to reveal Himself in a way that humanity can understand and relate to. Jesus Christ becomes the bridge, the Word made flesh, through whom God communicates Himself to the world in the most personal and accessible way possible. Through Christ, believers are able to know God not as an abstract or distant being, but as a loving Father who seeks a relationship with His creation.
Wording by ChatGPT, 2024
