A few days ago, I did a Google search for “birdseed on sale.” The price of the birdseed at our local farm store had increased again, so I wanted to compare prices online. Within minutes after conducting the search, my social media feed was filled with advertisements and articles about birds, birdseed, bird feeders, bird feeder baffles, bird baths, bird identification, and bird flu, among other bird-related media. That is because we live in the age of the algorithm.

Artificial intelligence, social media, online shopping, streaming services, search engines, political campaigns—they all run on algorithms.

What is an algorithm? An algorithm is simply a set of instructions or rules that tells a computer how to analyze information and make decisions. Algorithms study our searches, clicks, purchases, likes, comments, viewing habits, and even how long we pause over a particular post. Their purpose is to predict what we are most likely to find interesting, then place more of that content in front of us.

Algorithms are neither good nor evil. They help us find the fastest route to our destination, recommend books and movies, filter spam from our email, detect fraudulent credit card transactions, and enable artificial intelligence to answer questions and solve problems. In many ways, we would be lost without them.

The trouble starts when we forget that algorithms are designed to shape our digital experience. Left unchecked, they can gradually reshape our assumptions, reinforce our biases, and influence our decisions without our even realizing it. When an algorithm keeps feeding us information that confirms our own biases and perspectives, it can subtly deepen our divisions.

The Bible encourages us to guard our minds and to love God with our minds. Romans 12:2 even cautions, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” While this verse has been applicable throughout history, it is especially relevant in the digital age.

Rather than allowing the algorithm to manage us, we should learn to recognize it and navigate it wisely.

1. Remember that your feed is customized and curated.

Your social media feed is not a neutral window into the world. It is a carefully curated collection of content the algorithm predicts you are likely to engage with.

If you enjoy travel, you’ll see more travel stories. If you shop for shoes, you are sure to see more shoe advertisements. If you frequently watch political videos from one perspective, you’ll likely receive more of the same. If you click on sensational headlines, the algorithm assumes you want even more sensational content.

Over time, this creates what many call an echo chamber or filter bubble, where we increasingly hear voices that agree with us while hearing fewer that challenge us. Eventually, we may mistake our personalized feed for reality itself. It can even lead us to presume we are in the majority who hold this viewpoint, and then wonder how anyone else could possibly think otherwise.

The first step toward digital discernment is remembering that your feed is designed for engagement, not necessarily for balance.

2. Diversify your sources.

One of the healthiest habits we can develop is intentionally seeking information beyond what the algorithm serves us.

Read news from several reputable organizations. Listen respectfully to thoughtful people with different perspectives. Read books instead of relying solely on headlines. Learn from historians, scientists, theologians, educators, and practitioners who have earned credibility through years of study and experience.

The Book of Proverbs repeatedly reminds us that wisdom grows through listening, learning, and seeking counsel. The broader our sources, the more balanced our understanding becomes.

If you rely on just one source, one opinion, one outlet, you become more vulnerable to disinformation, and you become less likely to have your biases and assumptions tested by a wider range of voices.

An informed mind is usually a humble mind.

3. Be an alert and disciplined steward of your attention and your scrolling.

In the digital age, attention has become one of the world’s most valuable commodities. Social media platforms, advertisers, streaming services, and countless websites are all competing for every extra minute we spend staring at a screen.

Digital communication and online research are genuinely valuable. But too much screen time can take a toll on our mental and physical health, and it can quietly rewire our brains to crave more of whatever we have been feeding them.

The algorithm has no interest in our self-discipline. It is designed to keep us scrolling.

That is why we should periodically ask ourselves healthy questions:

• Is this helping me grow?
• Am I learning or merely reacting?
• Am I controlling my device, or is it controlling me?

Every click, every pause, and every share teaches the algorithm something about us. At the same time, it is shaping our own habits too.

James Clear wisely observes, “Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become.” Our digital habits are no exception.

The Bible calls us to steward our time, our talent, and our treasure, and our attention touches all three. When it comes to digital engagement, we need the spiritual discipline to guard our attention as carefully as we guard our time, our finances, and our relationships.

4. Verify information before you share with others online or in person.

The internet rewards speed. Wisdom rewards accuracy.

Before forwarding an article, reposting a video, or quoting a statistic, ask a few simple due diligence questions:

• Is this true?
• Is the source trustworthy?
• Have I read beyond the headline?
• Is important context missing?
• Would I want someone to share this if it were about me?

False information often spreads because it confirms what people already believe. Followers of Christ should be known not for sharing the fastest or most flattering information but for sharing the most truthful information.

As the old proverb reminds us, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.”

5. Prioritize and practice values that transcend the algorithm.

Algorithms can predict what we prefer, but they cannot give us wisdom. They can recommend products, but they cannot build character. They can serve up content all day long, but they cannot teach us compassion, integrity, humility, or love. Those virtues grow out of relationships, prayer, Bible study, worship, service, honest conversation, and walking humbly with God.

The most important influences in our lives should never be determined by artificial intelligence or social media. They should be shaped by timeless truths that endure beyond every technological innovation. Technology is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master.

The Apostle Paul urged believers, “Test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). That counsel may be more pertinent today than ever before.

Artificial intelligence will keep getting more sophisticated. Social media algorithms will keep getting more personalized. Marketing will keep getting more precise. Our response should not be fear. It should be discernment.

Every day we have the opportunity to choose whether our minds will be shaped primarily by algorithms or by wisdom, whether our values will be determined by trends or by truth.

So, when you are online, whether you are shopping for birdseed, reading a news article, or listening to your favorite worship song, you will encounter the algorithm. Learn to recognize it and discover ways to manage it, so that it doesn’t manage you.

After all, the greatest influence in your life should not be the next thing your smartphone or laptop suggests. Rather, it should be your faith, your discipline, and your relationships that shape who you are and how you engage with the world around you.

(Barry Howard is a retired pastor who now serves as a leadership coach and consultant with the Center for Healthy Churches. He and his wife, Amanda, live on Cove Lake in northeast Alabama. You can check out his blog at www.covecreekreflections.com and  follow him on social media at @BarrysNotes.)