Sometimes I wonder when I log into my social media channels if should put on my bulletproof vest? Why you ask….well in this day and age I’ve found that people have become quick when finding fault with somebody to point their “guns” of judgement and ask questions later or not at all. Being behind a computer/mobile phone screen often causes people to be more liberal to express what they feel. Don’t believe me? Go to the comments section of any YouTube video with a “hint” of religion or politics in it, and you will literally see a war of words piling up to a critical mass.
This attitude of condemnation is hardly new. The Pharisees who were the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were very much the same. Always trying to be final authority on what God’s word says and means. Even when Jesus came along they were quick to find ways to trip him up in the name of keeping their place of power and authority. They were seemingly too sure of themselves in their own interpretations of scripture. When they tried to force Jesus into stoning a woman for adultery which was the law of the day, they found themselves not fit to condemn the woman for they had their own sins to deal with (John 8:1–9).
The problem is that same trigger happy attitude that is so quick to not only judge but condemn people when they are caught making mistakes is present in many of us Christians today extending to social media:
The worst thing about all of this is not only does it not solve any conflicts (whether right or wrong), it doesn’t bring God any glory and makes Christians look like a bunch of trigger happy vigilantes seeking to cement their place of power and authority. I wonder just how far we are straying from the “gentle attitude” that Paul advises we have concerning those we find in faults with.
“If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.”
Galatians 6:1–3 (MSG)
The Bible teaches us that our first priority to anyone who has been caught in a transgression is to restore them with a gentle attitude, sharing the heavy burden they are carrying while at the same time looking in the mirror at ourselves to check where we are at. For in doing this we essentially live by the standard Christ left for us. The goal is to uplift people in whatever state we see them in, not cut them down. This proves to be much harder than advertised because understanding another person’s sorrow is not easy. Often times people experience so much sorrow that they are hesitant or won’t even share it with others for fear of being “stoned” with condemnation much like in the example posts above.
Jesus came for those who need saving, not those who think they are already righteous….
(Mark 2:17)
If there is any one thing I have learned being in the church as long as I have, it is that people are at different stages of their faith and will all go through trials. Knowing that and remembering that I’ve had go through trials myself, the last thing to help anyone in that position is is trying to prove how right “you” are and how wrong they are. What I would hope is the next time you see something on social media or in real life that offends you, before jumping on a person’s case in their presence, or in secret or hidden in your own obscure Facebook post that you would stop and think about the context that might have lead to the thing you are seeing. I’d hope that you’d think less about exerting your position of power in proving how right you are. I’d hope you’d think more about your own mistakes and what it took to overcome them. I hope you’d think about the positive things you can do to restore that person or help them. And finally I’d hope you’d endeavour to do it all with a gentle spirit. The key here is to think before you speak/post (Prov. 13:3), which I believe in this blazing fast Internet age is in short supply.
Going back to Jesus standing over the adulterous woman. With every right to stone her, he gave her grace instead. Following Jesus’ example we ought to show the same grace to each other.
The cost of being right all the time is too high
Are Christians in today’s social media world too Pharisee-like? What can we do to change the idea that Christians are too judgemental without compromising our faith? Feel free to share and leave a comment on any of the social networks where this is posted.
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