Has anyone noticed how social media has affected our interaction with other people? And even with fellow Christians?
Ten years ago, we would have considered it abnormal behaviour to go into a room full of people we knew in varying degrees, get up on a chair and start lecturing them on some contentious topic. And doing so knowing perfectly well that our opinion would be offensive to some of those people.
And yet that’s what, all too often, we’re now doing. And then we wonder why there’s division in the body.
A person who is more concerned with advertising their views than with the effect their actions may have on others has missed the point of what Jesus said about loving others as we love ourselves.
We justify our actions by pointing out that our views are correct, and it would be to the benefit of the one who disagrees with us if they repented of their stupidity and agreed with us.
That’s a classical case of the end justifying the means. God’s ends require God’s means, or those ends will never be achieved.
One of the things many of us discovered with the advent of instantaneous electronic communication was the temptation to try to settle disputes by email. Remember how that worked for you? Email manages to convey the negative commentary in full force, but fails to hold out the positive affirmation that only personal contact can provide.
You can go on social media and tell other people in your church they are close to criminals for supporting an opposing viewpoint, but how on earth do you then expect them to work with you on the worship team next Sunday or on next month’s Alpha? How about those who say you can’t be a Christian and support a certain political leader or party? Do you realize you have just assumed the place of Almighty God in implicitly consigning someone to hell?
Oh. Well no, I didn’t mean that.
Too late. The damage is done.
Paul told the Corinthians there would always be division in the body, if only to distinguish between true and merely professing believers. If I’ve read that letter correctly, he stated that the way to discern true and false believers had to do with whether the love of Christ was at work in their lives. When Jesus said we would know true believers by their fruit, he was not referring to their opinion on politics, coronavirus or climate change.
Controversial opinions should be expressed in person according to the strength of a pre-existing relationship. You can drive a very large vehicle over a steel bridge, but you can’t take much across a rope bridge without it giving way.
It’s sad when people in the world are yelling so hard they’re incapable of listening, but it’s tragic and unacceptable among God’s people. We are called to be peace-makers, ambassadors of reconciliation.
When I was a very young Christian, an older brother in the Lord quoted words Jesus spoke which at the time struck fear into my heart: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.”
Pass your electronic words through that filter first - you’ll be glad you did.
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AWAKENING MINISTRIES // FOUNDATION of FAITH Project
Foundation of Faith Project is strengthening generations in faith and bringing beautiful changes to the communities around them. Through teaching, mentoring and coaching, many are finding out who they are and who they are destined to be. They are bringing more to their world. David Campbell is the key leader in this initiative and you can support him financially directly through Awakening Ministries.
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