Some of you warned me. When I said, “I’m thinking about checking out Pinterest,” you said, “Let me warn you: it’s addicting.”  And it was. I think I bought into the old adage, adapted for Pinterest here, that “she who dies with the most ‘pins,’ wins!” Eventually I learned to use Pinterest in the way that works best for me, and in so doing, I also learned to use it as a tool, not a toy!

For those unfamiliar with Pinterest, let me briefly explain it through the eyes of my own use of it.

Through a simple process of adding a “pin it” button to your toolbar, you can save pictures or ideas from around the internet on your own virtual “bulletin board” housed on the Pinterest site. Example: While checking a recipe on marthastewart.com I see a great idea for some new pillows. By simply clicking the “pin it” button on my toolbar, I can pin that picture, and a direct link to it, to a board that I have labeled “my style.” Later, when I have time to sew, I can click on the picture on my Pinterest bulletin board and be redirected back to the original post and instructions on the Martha Stewart site.

But here’s the great part. I can also view pictures of, in this example, other pillows that my friends liked and pinned to their boards. Instead of taking time to use a search engine for “pillow patterns” and coming up with 13,600,000 search results (actual number), I can go to Pinterest and see pictures posted by people with my similar tastes and interests. Pinterest provides a great summary of my chosen topic, honed down into a viewable search and saving me the “search” time! To narrow my search even further, I can “follow” those whose interests and tastes mirror my own.

I personally summarize Pinterest this way: it’s the Reader’s Digest of the internet!

As I mentioned, you can “follow” someone’s board, thereby allowing you to access the ideas they add to their virtual bulletin boards. “Following” someone implies that you share an interest and states that you trust their judgment and their tastes. In most cases, you also know they have posted something that is tried and true.

Because the Lord Jesus Christ is far superior to any Pinterest board ever created, I would not even dare to compare Him to Pinterest. I would, however, choose to learn an important lesson from the Pinterest rage.

God’s Word, the Bible, has everything I need, all in one place. When I need an answer, instruction, or “words to live by,” I head straight to its pages. I trust what I find there. The words God chose to include were carefully chosen and each word was written by His guidance.

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.” II Peter 1:3 (NLT) 

Because of God’s great love for His, and His desire for all things to work for our good and His glory, He inspired Luke to write these words in Luke 9:23: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” (NLT)

He wants me to be His follower! Obeying this command just makes sense for one who is interested in what He is interested in, who longs to learn from Him, and who trusts His judgment.

Do I recommend Pinterest? Yes. I’ve tried it and it’s worth sharing.

But above any recommendation I can give a website is my desire for you to choose to be a Christ-follower. I’ve tried it and it’s worth sharing!

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Thank you for reading “Lessons from a Pinterest Board.” I’d love to hear how you became a Christ-follower!