It is so unnerving that social media can make generally kind people become hateful. I have watched with sadness as people I consider friends severely denigrated people they once considered friends. Sometimes the venom is directed at those who simply have a difference of opinion on political or moral issues. And the attacks on people who claim the title of Christian have broken my heart.
Without fail the hypocrite word is used with smug satisfaction.
And it is true. Let me make this personal since I can only speak honestly for me. I can be a hypocrite. I do not consistently live up to the teachings of Jesus. I fail. I sin. That is why I need a Savior and not a self-help course. I am confident not in my holiness but in the holiness of Jesus. I remember hearing a pastor say that “we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. But that doesn’t keep us from comparing distances.”
That is exactly what I used to do and still do when I forget why Jesus found it necessary to die for me! I found it easy to judge those I condemned without knowing anything about that person’s wounds or struggles. I would self-righteously note that at least I haven’t said or believed something that offensive! I am not as bad as them!
So what?
Whether I fall a millimeter short or miles short of the glory of God is meaningless. I have fallen short. I am a desperate sinner in need of a Savior. Today I asked for the Holy Spirit to examine my heart. I am not responsible for the comments of others. I am accountable for my comments and thoughts before the One who went to the Cross to win my forgiveness.
Many people have proclaimed that anyone who believes a certain political or cultural thing cannot be a Christian. So your beliefs are the path to salvation? Seriously? I have gone through seasons where I am now regretful for what I said or believed. God patiently changed my heart. The people you attack may be wrong but the Holy Spirit may be changing their hearts.
May I ask you a tough question? How can you be a sincere follower of Jesus if you spew hate?
“If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers.”
1 John 4:20-21, NLT
There is a familiar parable from the Gospel of John. I wondered how Jesus might respond to today’s condemning cyberthugs. Here is a modern version of a well known story.
A crowd soon gathered, and He (Jesus) sat down and taught them. As He was speaking, the teachers of politically correct opinions brought a woman who had been caught in the act of hateful speech. They put her in front of the crowd.
“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught posting intolerance and hate speech. We say she should be fired, disgraced, and shunned. What do you say?”
They were trying to trap Him into saying something they could use against Him, but Jesus stooped down and looked at the device in His hand. They kept demanding an answer, so He typed a message that appeared on every device in the crowd simultaneously. They read the message on their screen. “All right, but let the one who has never unfairly judged another and who has never said an ugly untruth about another post the first judgement!” Then he looked down and typed something else.
When the accusers read this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
“No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Remember that every person is precious in My sight and that I loved them enough to endure the Cross. Go and sin no more.”
Forgive me for taking liberties with such an amazing Scriptural text. But I think it brings it home for us that I (and you) are just like that mob who dragged the woman to Jesus.
Lord Jesus,
Forgive me for my judgement of others. Forgive me for my ugly thoughts. Forgive me for my mean comments about those you love dearly. And thank you for still loving me in spite of the ugly reality of my own sin. I fall on your grace today. Please remind me to use these gifts of communication only to edify, encourage, and inspire.
Thank you for loving me. Help me to love others in the power of Your Amazing Grace.
Amen