Christians and Social media: Please Lord, make it stop.

I have to admit something right off the bat here. This post comes from a source of frustration for me. I am in no way trying to ruffle any feathers, or direct this post at any individual persons.

Christians and social media.

We as Christians have a pretty weighty responsibility when we interact with our families, friends, and acquaintances on social media.

We have to make sure that anything that we are communicating is the truth. Everyone slips up, from time to time, but honestly. Ask yourself this question: How many times, have you seen a Christian brother or sister share something that was proven to be completely false, or proven to be completely false soon after?

When it comes to politics, lets be real.

No one in this country believes that any elected official does everything right. At least, I haven't met any. However, there is a difference between voicing your disagreement with something and sharing a cropped down pic of the president supposedly in Muslim clothing. (The pic is actually from a conference where all the world leaders, including Putin wore these special outfits for a portion of the conference.) SEVERAL of my friends and loved ones have shared this picture. The un-cropped image shows others wearing them. But the propaganda express wants you to think Obama hits the prayer mat 5 times a day while smoking Newports and funding terrorism.

Please people, think before you share. Sharing propaganda and untruthful doctored images does several bad things. It makes you look like a fool, it makes your other causes look bad, and can even change the way people look at you as a person.

If you are not 100% sure that what you are posting is factual, on any given subject, then DON'T POST IT. Just don't. Word travels extremely fast on social media, if you don't share, rest assured, if it is indeed true, people will know in minutes.

Here's the thing:

Ephesians 4:29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Instead, perhaps we should try to speak LIFE and LOVE into this broken world. No one that I know of ever came to know Christ Jesus by losing an argument, or by some share this pic of Jesus or he will be mad at you post. 

ICorinthians 13:1If I speak in the tongues^a of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,^b but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love folks. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. 

Ask yourself this before you click share: HOW DOES THIS POST COMMUNICATE GOD'S LOVE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO READ MY POSTS? IS IT WHOLESOME? DOES IT CONTAIN BITTERNESS, RAGE, MALICE, BRAWLING OR SLANDER? 

Please Lord, make it stop. 

The MOST important thing to know

Let me sum up the most important truth that anyone could ever know.

Maybe you believed in God as a kid, but you kind of grew out of it.

Maybe you doubt. Like seriously doubt the whole thing. Maybe you think people who believe in a God are idiots.

Maybe you've been judged. Maybe by heartless, uninformed people who called themselves Christians.

Maybe you are Homosexual. Maybe you are Trans. Maybe you even believe you were born that way.

Perhaps you hate religion. You can't wrap your mind around how a loving God can let children starve to death in Africa.

Maybe you were formerly involved in the church. Maybe you had been a leader back in the day. Then you had "the church" basically chew you up and spit you out.

Maybe you had an abortion.

Maybe you are a felon.

Perhaps you are an addict. You just can't kick that habit.

Maybe you identify with some of these examples. Maybe a few.

Here is the thing,

YOU ARE DEEPLY LOVED BY GOD.

As a matter of fact, you were MADE to be LOVED by GOD.

YES. even you. Even through that thing.

As sure as every human was born to breathe, EVERY human was born to experience God.

Everything else, is secondary.