Be careful, friends.

We are entering the #blessed season.

Social media will be flooded with happy family pictures: adorable cherubic children opening presents with big red bows… golden brown turkeys with impossible holiday spreads–enough food to feed a third world country… kissing couples… tiny tots with their eyes all aglow.

All followed by the ridiculous #blessed.

Don’t get me wrong. I love seeing your “Baby’s First Christmas” ornaments. Your “Grandma’s Gingerbread Cookie” recipes. Your fireplace pics.

But please, please—don’t do the #blessed thing.

Why? Am I a Grinch? Do I hate the holidays? AM I A CHRISTIAN AT ALL?

I’m thrilled that you just found out you’re pregnant with your second baby… that you were just promoted… that you made that offer on your dream house and will have the title by Christmas Day. Truly, I am.

But leave off the #blessed.

Why?

You may not know this, but someone reading your post just received divorce papers.

Just learned their house will be foreclosed upon.

Miscarried baby #4.

Learned that they have cancer.

Here is my point:

If you are blessed by God, then what are they?

Jf we agree that some people are chosen by God to receive his blessings, the good things, then the other side of the coin is that others, who are suffering, for whatever reason, are not the target of God’s blessings. That they are undeserving. That they … are less, somehow. That they are forgotten by God Himself, or worse…they deserve their pain.

It’s not wrong to thank God for good things. This is not what I’m implying.

But let’s just practice a bit of compassion and avoid the hashtag, in honor of those who are suffering.

It’s a really simple way to love our friends, and to exhibit the compassion the holidays encourage. You never know what people are experiencing unless they choose to share.

Blessed are those who are not #blessed.