The Selfie That’s Not About Me

By Jamie Lam

Sophia is the Greek word for Wisdom, and Propel Sophia seeks out the voices of truly wise women and asks them to share worked examples of how they express faith in daily life. Pull up a chair at Sophia’s table, won’t you? There’s plenty of space. Learn more here ▸

I don’t love being in photos. I don’t love having them taken, let alone looking at pictures of myself and yet, after a friend had taken updated headshots I needed for speaking events and Christmas cards, something in me prompted me to consider whether I should share them on social media. 

To post or not to post? 

I wrestled with familiar objections in my head:

“This isn’t important enough to post.” 

“There’s too many other things going on right now in the world to bring attention to something like this.” 

“No one is going to read this anyway.” 

“Everyone is going to read this and it’s not going to be good enough.”

“I’m not good enough.”

“I don’t want it to bring attention to myself” 

“What will people think?”

The still, small voice of the Spirit nudged me to see this differently. Perhaps this was an opportunity to not look at myself, but to look at the Creator. A word that had been spoken over me this year is courage and this felt like a courageous step. There was something freeing about it and taking the step to say, even as I posted the photos, ultimately it’s not about me. I want to reflect Christ. I want others to see Jesus through my life. 

As I uploaded the photos, it felt risky and uncomfortable, even vulnerable. But I sensed the Spirit’s challenge and invitation to choose courage, so I clicked “post”.

It’s Not About Me

The thoughts in my head didn’t go away. Wondering what others are going to think and not just think, but say or not say has so often been a factor that drives me. I feel like anything I do or don’t do is either saying too much or not saying enough. The temptation is to draw back, and do nothing. But I am convinced time and time again that words matter. At the end of the day, every picture, description, post is not about me. It’s an opportunity to share a bit of my journey and point people towards Jesus. 

As our lives increasingly have moved online in a time of global disruption, social media has become the platform more and more by which we let people into our lives. It’s become a snapshot of what we and others are experiencing, feeling, and thinking. For me, it’s become a scary and vulnerable space to write, post, and share, and yet, it’s become a place where I have begun to see it as an opportunity to let others in. 

I’ve been challenged to lean into the unknown, unexpected, and unseen.  Especially in these times,I’ve felt the Spirit push me towards embracing the process more than focusing on the outcome. I don’t want to look back and be so rushed to wherever it is that I think I should be that I miss what the Lord had for me, for us, in times of change. Getting to post and share some of my own processing through social media platforms is to hopefully encourage others towards encountering Jesus in their own processes. 

Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, and not for human masters.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 says “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Whatever we do, we do for the Lord, for His glory, and not for human masters. That shifts my perspective on what I post and why I post. Flipping through my pictures again, I didn’t want it to be about me: it was about being obedient, courageous, and bearing witness to God’s calling of me to share his joy and hope at work in me: in real life and online. 

Take the Next Step with Jesus

Crazy to say, that one post got me here. A friend saw it and wrote to me about it: God always has new invitations and challenges around the corner for us. To be writing and sharing with you all is way out of my element and comfort zone, but here we are. Another opportunity to share about my process and encourage you towards encountering Jesus wherever you’re at because you never know. When we step out in faith, in courage, with our desire to point others to Jesus and reflect Him, He will surprise us. He always does. Remember, whatever we do, sisters, work at it with all our heart, as working for the Lord and not for human masters. That shifts my perspective on what I post and why I post. Step in with faith and with courage. Embrace the process. See what God can do with one small, courageous step.

Jamie Lam

Jamie  Lam is on staff with Epic Movement, an Asian American ministry of Cru. Find her on Instagram @jamiedaisy.