I have a love/hate relationship with social media. On the one hand, it enables me to renew friendships with those I’ve lost contact with. It helps me to stay in touch with folks I don’t see on a regular basis. I can share my writing with those who might not read it otherwise.
But on the other hand, my
exception to it is the same as I’ve always had about letters to the editor. It
has seemed to me that folks sometimes write in those letters things about others
they have not first said to them in person or would not say to them in a room
alone with them. The same is true for social media. It gives a microphone to what
would never be exchanged in person in civil conversation.
I’m not talking about messages
posted that may be misinterpreted from the way we meant them. I’ve had my share
of those over the years. Try as we might, sometimes we miss it, and something
slips by. Regret always follows. What I’m talking about here are comments
posted to be snarky, to pile on, or just to be plain crude or even mean.
These statements confuse
those who do not yet know the Lord. For if we as believers post a prayer one
day and come back with a cruel meme the next, what does that say to someone
just beginning to explore Christianity? We need to be consistent with our witness.
And I can hear this response
coming, “I just speak the truth in love.” A well known Bible teacher says that
whenever she hears someone say that, she braces herself, because she knows often
that something spoken “not in love” is coming.
Those words from the Bible can be a seeming cover for saying whatever we want and
don’t have anything to do with love at all.
In the quoted verse in the picture from
Colossians 3:17, the Apostle Paul wrote that every detail of our lives should be
done in the name of Jesus. There’s a reason for that. Our flimsy words don't have much power, but if we write aware and inspired by the power and Name of Jesus, much can
happen. That means in all our words—every text,
every email, every social media post, every spoken word, every telephone call,
we should be able to attach “in the precious name of Jesus.” I don’t know about
you, but that makes me squirm. It makes me feel as if I need to take another
long, hard look at what I write or speak before I release it into the world. And that applies to our actions, or
“whatever.” Paul reminds us we should also offer thanks “every step of the way.”
Another challenge.
I’m aware that God’s calling
manifests itself differently in each of us. Some have more of a prophetic edge
and God uses them to especially be salt and light. Because we know in this old
world, we need both salt and light. But even so, what we say absolutely must be
cloaked in love and said in His Name.
2020 was a stressful year to beat
stressful years. And 2021 has started much the same way. We have all often been
moved to the edge of our seats. But somehow, someway, we must put Jesus above
all of this. So, I’m issuing a challenge. Let’s take a long hard look at our
media feeds. If there’s something we can’t attach “In the precious name of
Jesus,” Let’s delete it. Before we write that text or email, let’s give it the
“Is this in Jesus name?" test. Let’s fill up the world with hope and
encouragement, not in a Pollyanna-stick-your-head-in-the-sand
kind of way but in a Jesus’s-love kind of way. In every detail, let’s strive to be able
to attach that blessed Name. Again, our snarky words don’t often change
anything, but His powerful Name absolutely can.
For
listening:
Here are two
songs I love about the Name of Jesus. Click on titles to listen.
What a Beautiful Name (one of my favorites from Hillsong)
