In the age of social media and constant connectivity, we often forget two truths about God’s word. Sometimes we act as if technology is so new and advanced that the Bible has nothing to say about how we behave online—as if God’s word isn’t timeless or doesn’t speak to our digital lives. And, to be blunt, even when Scripture clearly offers wisdom that applies to our online conduct, we sometimes ignore it. We don’t treat it as valuable as it truly is.
But God has given wisdom for every area of life—including how we live and speak online. So imagine this: if Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived (aside from our Lord), were alive today and had a TikTok, X, or Facebook account, what would his social media presence look like?
1. Solomon Would Show Restraint With His Words
I don’t think Solomon’s feed would be very noisy. Knowing what he wrote in Proverbs, I suspect he wouldn’t post very often, and he wouldn’t respond quickly to everything that happened.
Proverbs 10:19 says:
“When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable,
But he who restrains his lips is wise.”
Solomon understood that words are powerful, and that it’s very easy to sin with our tongues—or our keyboards. James makes a similar point in James 3, warning that teachers incur stricter judgment because they talk more, and where there are many words, there is danger.
James also says:
“No one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.” (James 3:8)
That doesn’t mean we can’t restrain it; it means it’s never truly safe. It’s never a “tame pet.” It’s always dangerous, so wise people handle it carefully.
Proverbs 17:27 says:
“He who restrains his words has knowledge,
And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.”
A “cool spirit” doesn’t rush into heated debates or fire off angry replies. Solomon would be slow to speak, slow to post, slow to comment.
Proverbs 29:20 adds:
“Do you see a man who is hasty in his words?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
So I don’t think Solomon’s page would be silent, but I do think he’d be selective. He’d look for the right words at the right time.
Proverbs 25:11 describes it beautifully:
“Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a word spoken in right circumstances.”
That’s what our online speech should aim for: not volume, but beauty, wisdom, and timeliness—the right word in the right moment. That’s how Jesus spoke, and people hung on His every word. We should aspire to that same careful wisdom in what we type and share.
2. Solomon Would Be Slow to Meddle in Other People’s Conflicts
One feature of social media is that everyone has a platform. We’re more aware than ever of other people’s opinions, arguments, and grudges—and we have the ability to jump into all of them.
Often we feel almost obligated: “The world needs to know what I think about this!” But Solomon warns against meddling.
Proverbs 26:12:
“Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
Trying to correct someone who is “wise in his own eyes” is usually futile. Yet that’s exactly what many online arguments are—back-and-forth with someone who isn’t going to listen anyway.
Verse 17:
“Like one who takes a dog by the ears
Is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him.”
If you grab a dog by the ears, you’re asking for trouble. Solomon says that’s what it’s like to jump into someone else’s conflict.
Verses 20–21:
“For lack of wood the fire goes out,
And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.
Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
So is a contentious man to kindle strife.”
Many times, when we “weigh in” on drama, all we’re really doing is throwing more wood on the fire.
We might tell ourselves, “I’m just trying to help,” but verse 22 reminds us:
“The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels,
And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.”
Sometimes we meddle not because we’re so noble, but because the drama is interesting, the gossip is tasty. Solomon would be wary of that in himself—and so should we.
Jesus modeled this too. He lived in a world full of tensions—Rome vs. Jews, Pharisees vs. Sadducees, zealots vs. tax collectors—and yet He refused to be dragged into their political and social disputes. When asked about paying taxes to Caesar, He simply said, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). He stayed focused on the kingdom.
3. Solomon Would Approach the Online World With Healthy Skepticism
Social media is full of information, opinions, “hot takes,” and spiritual claims. It’s easy to be swayed by one video, one thread, one post—not only about politics or culture, but about God, the Bible, and salvation.
Proverbs 18:13 warns:
“He who gives an answer before he hears,
It is folly and shame to him.”
And verse 17:
“The first to plead his case seems right,
Until another comes and examines him.”
We know that experience: we see something that sounds convincing, we jump on board, and then days later we see something that exposes how shallow or misleading it was. Solomon reminds us: slow down. Don’t build your worldview—or your faith—on one clever clip or post. Examine things carefully in the light of Scripture.
He adds in Proverbs 19:2:
“It is not good for a person to be without knowledge,
And he who hurries his footsteps errs.”
Solomon would not be quick to believe every spiritual soundbite, especially when it comes to what God requires for salvation and holy living. He’d weigh it against the word that is pure, refined, and timeless.
He’d also be skeptical about the emotional impact of social media. Studies show social media use is correlated with increased anxiety, depression, loneliness, and self-image issues. But Solomon already understood that appearances can be deceiving.
Proverbs 14:13:
“Even in laughter the heart may be in pain,
And the end of joy may be grief.”
The smiling photos, the “perfect” lives we see online may hide deep pain. When we realize that, it steals some of the power these images have to make us feel inferior, lonely, or left out.
And Proverbs 18:24 says:
“A man of too many friends comes to ruin,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Solomon warns against the emptiness of superficial relationships. In social media terms: likes, follows, and friend counts don’t equal real fellowship. Real friendship is measured in faithfulness, sacrifice, and presence—not in reactions and shares.
4. Solomon Would Refuse to Waste His Life Online
One of the major themes in Proverbs is laziness. Solomon says it is foolish to waste your life doing nothing.
Proverbs 6:6:
“Go to the ant, O sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise.”
Proverbs 14:23:
“In all labor there is profit,
But mere talk leads only to poverty.”
Now, there are good, profitable ways to use the internet—spreading the gospel, encouraging believers, learning truth. But if we’re honest, a lot of our online life isn’t “labor that leads to profit”; it’s “mere talk that leads to poverty.”
Social media is full of complaints about what’s wrong with the world and big ideas about what could be done—but little actual action. Sometimes posting or changing a profile picture can feel like we’ve done something significant, when in reality we haven’t lifted a finger.
James 2:15–16 gives this picture:
“If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food,
and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,’
and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?”
That’s what a lot of “online activism” looks like—words with no real service behind them.
John says in 1 John 3:17–18:
“But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him,
how does the love of God abide in him?
Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
We must not fool ourselves into thinking that posting is the same as serving, or that sharing is the same as sacrificing.
Paul writes in Ephesians 5:15–16:
“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,
making the most of your time, because the days are evil.”
We don’t have much time here. Solomon would not waste his life scrolling, arguing, and pretending to do good online. He would use his days for the glory of God.
Living to God’s Glory—Online and Offline
So, if Solomon were on TikTok, what would we see?
- Few, well-chosen words, restrained and thoughtful.
- Very little meddling in other people’s conflicts and drama.
- Healthy skepticism toward what he saw and heard online.
- A life not wasted on mere talk, but spent in real labor for God.
The bigger question, of course, is not what Solomon would do, but what you and I are doing.
Are we wasting our lives online, or using our words, time, and influence to glorify God?
Scripture teaches that living to God’s glory begins by being saved in Christ. The Bible calls us to:
- Believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 8:24)
- Repent of our sins (Acts 17:30)
- Confess our faith in Him before others (Romans 10:9–10)
- Be baptized in water for the forgiveness of our sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16)
Then we rise to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3–4), using our days—online and offline—to honor the Lord.
If you haven’t obeyed the gospel, or if you’ve been wasting your time and influence instead of offering them to God, let this be a gentle reminder: His word is pure, timeless, and valuable. Let it shape not only what you post, but who you are.
