I belong to an email group with women who are very smart and usually the conversation is controversial, intellectual and beyond me.
But yesterday one of the women who I've exchanged personal emails with over the years, someone I like a lot, shared how it greatly bothered her how two of her Christian Facebook friends joined this group:
DEAR LORD, THIS YEAR YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTOR, PATRICK SWAYZIE. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE ACTRESS, FARAH FAWCETT. YOU TOOK MY FAVORITE SINGER, MICHAEL JACKSON. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, MY FAVORITE PRESIDENT IS BARACK OBAMA.
Thus began a flurry of emails from the group saying that--yet again--here was a prime example of the foolishness and cruelty of Christians. Many stated that although they never liked President Bush, at least they never wished him illness or death.
A couple Christians tried to defend the rest of us, but well, it's difficult to defend such behavior (over 1,000,000 people have joined that Facebook list).
And this morning, though I almost never write into this group, I emailed words to the effect that we Christians are always at different stages of maturity and it depends upon how willing, humble we are as to how much we'll allow God to change our hearts and therefore the words we speak. I asked people to pray for us because we all certainly need it everyday.
There was a tad more, but mostly I tried to calm things down.
People, people, people. Love is the key. So are wisdom and humility. This computer life is Real Life to the extent that even here--or especially here-- we can make or break our Christian witness. We can ruin it for other Christians and we can wreck non-Christians' chances to become saved by our sloppiness with our words, making them run.
I've read blogs where Christians come down hard against pastors and evangelists (tv ones and otherwise) who teach heavily about Christian behavior. Well, you'll never near me criticize them because oh! Millions of people have been permanently turned off from Christianity--and from seeking God--because of the lousy, unkind, judgemental behavior of those who call themselves Christian.
Our behavior is important. Watching our words, vital. It's all Life and Death stuff to God and so it should matter a ton to us who are God's lights in this dark world. Even in our blogs, even on Facebook, even everywhere we go.
*****
"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks."
*****
I have seen this "group" on Facebook, some of my FB friends must have joined it. I chuckled at it at first. But then thought of what it was really saying and was concerned about it.
ReplyDeleteYou are so correct in saying that we need not be judgmental about how others act or speak, but to point out your own concern about what someone says or does is not passing judgment on them. I guess it is all in the delivery. I hope that makes sense.
and all God's people said, amen.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully said, Debra.
ReplyDeleteyeah, I belong to that group too, Debra. But I read your blog account before I check the group....What you said is true. I want to say, don't judge any group by what it's more foolish members do or say, especially ones who don't really seem to have gotten the real message that the group was founded upon. It does chill me a lot to read things that make Christians sound as though death to your enemies were Christ's message, when we know it was really the exact opposite. A lot of these people only communicate with one another and a sort of mob psychology thing seems to take over. It's sad, but I hope articulate people such as you can open a few eyes to see and ears to hear.
ReplyDeleteI was really disappointed (but not surprised) when some of my friends (acquaintances, really) joined the group on Facebook. Words have meaning and express intention and character.
ReplyDeleteBeing wimpy and non-confrontational, I have not commented on this on Facebook. Some are wives of dh's business associates, so it wouldn't be a good idea to comment. Someday it will be nice to just say whatever I want to whomever I want -- a pleasure of being an old lady, I guess!
here here to the above
ReplyDeleteso true