How Should Christians Live Online and Offline in this Highly Charged Moment of Life?
By: Dan Seale
Followers of Jesus should live the same way, online, offline, and at all times of life. Particularly in hard times, there is a greater need for strength, wisdom, grace, and patience to love our neighbors well. And in such a moment there is a great opportunity to bear witness to the world of the greatness of our God through how we love. In this intense season in our nation, there are many important issues to consider as citizens of this country, but how we discuss those issues is also of utmost significance as citizens of the kingdom of God.
The Power of Words
The old saying, “Stick and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is just plain false. I still have scars from hurtful words said to me; and sadly, I have wounded others with my words. The writer of Proverbs gives us this wise counsel in chapter 12 verse 18.
There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Paul commands the church in Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only as such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
The Women’s Bible study of Redeemer is studying the Sermon on the Mount; and my wife, Debbi, shared this convicting quote that has stuck with me. Sinclair Ferguson in his book, Kingdom Life in a Fallen World in a section entitled Murder Without Knives writes,
We treat the damage we do with our lips very lightly because we do not see the corpses we leave behind. That is why the Lord invades our moral slumber by telling us how serious this is in the sight of God.
We must slow down and consider what impact our spoken and written words may have on others. Are your words like streams of living water putting out fires, or are your words unintentionally or intentionally like sword thrusts or like throwing gasoline on fire?
How to love - Online, Offline, and All the time
Romans 12 gives us clear guidance on how to live a life of worship in every area of our lives. Paul begins by anchoring us in the reality that we belong to God (Romans 12:1-2), and we belong to one another (Romans 12:3-8). Therefore, all of our lives are to be lived as worship. He wants all of our being, our eyes, our mouth, our minds, our hands, our feet, our vocation, our relationships, every square inch of our life. Also, he wants us to remember we are one body that needs each other’s different gifts and perspectives for the good of the body, the church. It is good that we are different, but it can be hard to cherish our differences.
We are commanded to love our neighbors, who are sometimes our enemies, in our words and actions (Romans 12:9-21). We should use these commands to guide our conversations, our writing, and our presence on social media.
It is helpful to remember that the church in Rome had significant cultural and political differences that threatened the church and her witness to the world. Our season is not unique, and God’s Word is sufficient for us.
Love people genuinely.
What does genuine love look like? Paul lays out what it looks like to love others.
Be empathetic.
Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
We are dealing with people, not merely ideas or opinions. We all have unique stories that impact how we view and experience life. Often, we do not take the time to enter into another person’s world and perspective. We need to consider what impact our words may have on this person and how they might hear us.
Outdo one another in showing honor.
Do our actions in person and online outdo others in showing honor and respect to people as image-bearers of God? This is especially challenging when someone else has differing opinions on things we care deeply about. What a great opportunity for followers of Jesus to behave and act differently than the world!
Be a peacemaker and put pride aside.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Repay no one evil for evil but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine says the Lord.”
Are we risking disobedience to the commands of God by making statements and stands on issues as presumed experts; when in reality, the issue may not be as simple and self-evident as we think in this moment?
Are we risking pushing people farther and farther away from us, and from the community of believers, the church local and universal?
Overcome evil with good.
To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.
There seems to be an increasing coarseness with how people interact, particularly online. When someone hurts us, we are tempted to want to hurt them back, but Jesus commands us to love our enemies. We need to remember that the people we encounter, including the ones with whom we disagree the most, are made in the image of God.
Before we speak or write we should ask ourselves…
Am I being loving?
Am I being empathetic?
Am I outdoing in honor?
Am I promoting peace?
Am I being proud?
Am I overcoming evil with good?
Join me in praying that the Lord would enable us as individuals and as a church to love others with a love that is patient and kind; a love that does not envy or boast; a love that is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices at truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).