I don’t ever dig through the trash by choice. I have only done that when I accidentally dropped something in the trashcan or mistakenly put something in, and realized later it was something of value, or something I needed.
Right? You too? Yet, the only way I can describe social media lately is, “like voluntarily digging through the trash.”
Why am I still looking for something good in the midst of all the junk? What am I expecting to find?
I’m an occasional Twitter user, but I’m on facebook daily. I am not ashamed of this. I have a pretty good handle on my priorities, I just enjoy the friendly and try to ignore the rest, unless it’s funny… sometimes I have a chuckle at the expense of someone exposing their stupid, but that’s not why I get on facebook.
The past week though, I’ve watched countless messages cross the line from friendly banter to disappointing opinion and the use of a public post to preach personal conviction.
Here’s the thing (and I feel free to say this here, because this is my little soapbox… it’s not my pulpit, but it’s where people come to me to hear what I have to say… I’m not putting it on facebook, or Twitter, I’m just posting it here… in my space), you can’t change people by telling them God thinks they’re wrong.
Some people don’t believe in God, so you sound like an idiot to them. Some do believe in God but they have no relationship with Him because all they’ve ever known is what He wants to keep them away from. It’s like telling a kid he shouldn’t pack apples in his lunch, because the bully who steals his lunch doesn’t like them.
People who have more faith in the results of their sin than in the Word of God, are hurting people.
really.
That’s one reason to really consider what Paul says in Eph. 6…
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
Did you see that… we wear our armor to stand against spiritual forces of darkness, not the people who are being led by that darkness.
If you saw a man hit a telephone pole because he was texting and driving, would you run to him and begin quoting traffic law? No, you would check to see if he were okay and you would get him help if he needed it. You might be frustrated with him for getting himself into that predicament, but proving to him that the law would have helped him doesn’t change him, it irritates.
People who have more faith in the results of their sin than in the Word of God, are hurting people.
Lets stop using the Word of God ON them and begin using it for them. Pray the Word over them, pray to the Author and Finisher of faith. Pray to the Father of the fatherless.
Using your Sword to wrestle with flesh and blood is only going to aggravate the pain in someone who is already wounded.
I sin once in a while. I have been convicted of sin at times, but it was never because someone posted an instructional Scripture on facebook, or let me know how much they think my favorite politician is an idiot. Conviction comes from the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit is…
…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
Galatians is telling us something neat. If we want people to feel conviction and find redemption, we should let the Holy Spirit live large in us and that fruit will bring the desired result, not our list of rules.
That said, and in light of the recent current events in America, the last part of the that Scripture in Galatians 5:23 is of great comfort to me…
“…against such there is no law.”
I believe the Word of God to be the ultimate authority and because of that I believe that there will NEVER be a law that can stop us from bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
Our freedom is not produced by the constitution, it was only given a platform by it. Our freedom was offered at the cross and it will stand to eternity.
I’m determined that those who see light in us, will want to change and when they hear the gospel and the freedom Christ offers they will be ready to do anything to have it. The gospel wasn’t meant to be a bar we make people aspire to, it’s a step we lift them up with.
Truth is sharp, it cuts, be careful with it. When we use it poorly we are perverting the gospel and throwing away our opportunity to be Jesus to people who need Him so desperately.
I may not be alone in my daily perusal of social media… there may be others who are voluntarily digging in the trash. Let’s leave something good for them.