Probably because I am discouraged with social media, and I don't have anything nice to say about it right now.
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| Here's a random picture of my new mug. |
My family calls me the "queen of confrontation" because I can't stand to have bad feelings between me and the ones I love, so I do the hard thing and go directly to that person and hash it out. With social media . . . I can't. I want to hide them from my news feeds but I can't, because I love them and care about what's happening in their lives. However, I do want to go to the ones who are hurting me and others and say, "Stop it! That hurts!" I want to explain everything. I want to "set the record straight" but I know all I would be doing is opening myself to further confrontation and criticism of me and my God.
It makes me physically ill to even think about it, with (especially as I write this) nausea and a rapid heartbeat. I want to defend the Christians whom I know and hope I am . . .the ones who give sacrificially to help the poor and spend every dollar they have to adopt the orphaned, who take meals to those who are suffering, who have homeless families and persons sleeping in their living rooms and guest rooms, who go out of their way and give up weekends and evenings in countless ways to help those in need. I want to defend those of us who genuinely love all and don't hate anyone, but are not allowed to disagree or we will be accused of hatred and close-mindedness.
I come so close, but then I delete every message I begin.
Why?
Because my God does not need me to defend Him.
What does my God require of me? To act justly. To love mercy. To walk humbly with Him. To love Him with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. I will share the gospel until the day I die, because they are the words of LIFE and LOVE, but I do not need to fight His battles.
"Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth." (Psalm 46:10)
Soon, I know I can get back to daily happenings and photos for the grandmas and aunties. I haven't blogged because I know this is what I have needed to say and I've avoided it and run from it. It has become so popular to bash Christians and God in social media. Guess what?
I am a Christian.
". . . which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.
Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." 2 Timothy 1:11-13
I'm pressing on.
I know that not all gays and liberals have an "agenda" for taking over the world, but just want to love and be loved. How do I know? Because I sit and talk with them, and I certainly don't expect someone who doesn't know God to act like he does.
I also know that it's impossible to love and be loved without fully understanding God's great love. Once we understand His love for us, it changes us. We become not what the world or other "Christians" think we should be or even what we want to be, but we become who He bled and died for us to become.
Like Him.
Christians are so far from perfect, but are being perfected daily by His life-changing words - if they actually read them! How many who bash Christians in social media and regular media have sat and talked to one? I'm not talking the [eyes rolling] fundamentalist Christians who spout everything that the Bible is NOT and still call themselves Christians [coughWestboroughBaptistcough!], but genuine, Bible-believing and studying, in-the-trenches Christians who are lovers of Him and His word? Because the Christians like THAT? The ones I know and share my life with?
They're beautiful.
They're amazing.
They're the most loving and giving people I know. I mean . . . WOW can they love. I know, because they've seen me at my worst and did NOT judge me for it, but loved me through it to bring me to my best.
They're still loving me through it, and still trying to bring me to my best. Because people who have been in darkness don't judge the ones who are in darkness.
They love.
They show them light.
Social media - STOP IT.
Stop being so MEAN.
It hurts, and you're too nice and beautiful to be so hurtful.
"Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13
1 comment:
Words that need to be said so thank you for sharing them.
I will admit that the Lord has convicted me over a few things I've posted, aimed directly at a few people because I was so angry at what I believed to be their wrong thinking. So I quickly took the posts down. When it comes down to it, I'd hate that that particular post would hurt my ability to share and their ability to listen to what truly matters: God's love, mercy, and grace.
As for God being able to defend Himself...that's another thing He's been whispering to me. It truly makes me angry when I see people twist Scripture to suit their purposes (Christians and non-Christians alike). It makes me angry when people misrepresent Christ and tell outright lies about Him. I want to fight. I get discouraged. BUT then I hear His voice telling me that He's bigger, He's greater, He's stronger...HE can fight His battles. Actually, what I should be doing is praying for the person because I should never want anyone to face the wrath of God.
Oh, to have the love and mercy for all I know that I should have and to see people as the Lord sees them :-). Asking God to continue to work that out in my life!
Love you,
BA
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