In our day of social media, a nineteenth century hymn has some good advice....

My first task today?  Dealing with a self-centered obnoxious person.  I sat down at the computer and was very tempted to write a facebook post sharing my frustration.  After all, if I had to start Monday morning dealing with someone's obnoxiousness the least I could do was share the experience with the 2000-some friends who share my page, right?

While foraging through my emotion-muddled vocabulary to find the right words to share my thoughts, a tune filtered through the fog to my mind...and with the tune came the words associated with it.

Edmund Lorenz, author of "Tell it To Jesus"

"Are you weary? Are you heavy-hearted?
Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus
Are you grieving over joys departed?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Do the tears flow down your cheeks unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus
Have you sins that to men's eyes are hidden?
Tell it to Jesus alone.

Tell it to Jesus, Tell it to Jesus
He is a Friend that's well known
You've no other such a Friend or brother
Tell it to Jesus alone."

In the social media driven world in which we live, if we are not careful, we can begin to view the events of our lives as status updates and tweets, publicizing the pettiest events with anyone who cares to listen. We need reminding that not every frustration, emotion, struggle, and detail of our lives is for public consumption.  Often, we share simply out of the very real need for camaraderie in this world of isolated togetherness.

But I wonder, sometimes, if in our rush to share with everyone else we miss out on the camaraderie of the deep spiritual intimacy that results from following the counsel in those five little words: Tell it to Jesus alone.

Alright...now it's time to turn off the computer screen and do just that.