Eyebrows & All Special Devotional
Alright, "brow"nistas, I took a stab at a bit of devotional this morning. I had a topic weighing on my heart regarding how we as believers of Christ use social media. It really bothers me some of the things I read. So, I wrote a little blurb, not fussing, but praying that we would be more responsible.
I think I will teach a Bible Study topic on it. (Oh, I had to include the men folk this time. Don't worry, we will be back to it being just the girls...boy, bye!)
So, here it goes...
A discussion on responsible use of SOCIAL MEDIA (not going where you think I am going)
First, let me say this: TO THE WORLD, I SINCERELY APOLOGIZE!!!
Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,
Perhaps all things should not be discussed on Social Media.
My spirit is grieved at times where I read statuses and tweets that irresponsibly introduce topics of deep Biblical truths that can not be adequately explained on these platforms.
Let's be real: you and I know when our messages are laced with judgment however subtle we present them.
"You can do a lot of harm in the name of God." - Bishop Noel Jones
I never forgot that statement.
"9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment" Phil 1:9
Yes, there is no love without truth; however, there is no truth without love.
None of us could bear the reality of our sin, our shortcoming, our distance between God and our failing flesh.
He sent His Son with love, redemption, repentance, reconciliation and hope. Christ spent 33 years walking among us, taking His time that we may know and trust fully the heart of the Father.
God fed us His truth with love. He seasoned it with grace, mercy, understanding & wisdom.
Yet we feed His people harshly.
We force them to swallow what we have had time to digest.
We cast onto FB statuses and expect them to understand and accept in a day what has taken us years.
We take our private revelations, tailor made for us by God, and make them public mandate.
This should not be.
We tell the world they don't want to hear the truth when it is us who have spoken, not being led by the Spirit, but in answer to our swelling egos and self righteousness inclinations.
Just because we can say it, doesn't mean we should say it.
Just because we can type it, doesn't mean we should type it.
I come not to condemn.
I address this publicly because we have offended publicly.
I love each of you.
I only ask that you "love your neighbor as yourself."
Maybe we should all meditate on that for awhile.
When we realize that what we hold as the message of the Gospel is so precious perhaps we will not be so eager to present it in a fashion that results in the greatest message ever shared falling on deaf ears.
Sometimes, it's not that people don't want to hear about God; it's they don't want to hear from us.
Have we forgotten how gentle He was with us?
His truth lives forever.
His Word works whether we shout it or speak it with kindness and a humble heart.
God doesn't need us to defend Him. He needs us to represent Him.
He gave us one approach and one posture to take with the world.
It's the same one He takes.
Love.
"For God so LOVED the world..."
"They will know you by this, how you LOVE one another..."
I leave you with this:
Any man who brings up God in a conversation, or exchange, and does not impart hope and love has failed.
