If I were to make a reference to Dumb and Dumber, you'd know exactly who I was talking about, right? No? What if I talked about a current clown show that is happening? Surely, you could find the circus. Or, if I just typed a list of slanderous words, you would be able to put a face over top of the list?
I am disheartened. Overwhelmed. While social media is a prime spot for it, you don't have to go there to find people, precious souls made in the image of God, talking to people, more precious souls made in the image of God, in ungracious, arrogant, self-righteous, rude, assuming, accusing, hateful, impatient and slow to listen ways. And the justification for it? "They deserve it." "They are the problem." "They're ignorant." "If I don't say something, no one will." "They aren't worth my time or patience."
I doubt many (if any) of you can say you have escaped being on the receiving end of such talk. I imagine you have been at least once in your recent lifetime, scoffed at, misunderstood, written off, not listened to, and blamed at the very "least." And, I also doubt that when that has occurred you felt just fine about it. No, being treated as such, hurts.
How is it, then, that we can be so quick to turn around and (usually, but not always) within the comfort of being behind a screen, in such malicious and un-loving ways, unleash all of our pent up frustration, anger, need for justice and desire for change on other people who somehow have tickled our trigger or gotten it so wrong? I ask this question to fellow believers. Brothers and sisters who know what we are called to as children of God. It seems we who claim to love Christ have forgotten a few basic principles on how we are to operate in a world that is broken by sin.
I want to just put out a few reminders, friends, and implore you (and myself!) to put down the ways of the evil one when fighting the "good fight" and pick up the love of Christ, seasoning your speech with all that He is, remembering that He has already won the ultimate battle. And we, friends, are privileged to take part of God's work of calling souls to find freedom and love in His Son.
1. We are to love with the love of Christ.
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." -1 Pet. 4:8
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;" - 1 Cor 13:1-13
2. We are to be slow to speak, quick to listen.
"Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;" -James 1:19
"Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." -2 Tim 4:2
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." -Eph 4:2
“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” -1 Pet. 3:15
4. Scoffing will get you nowhere.
"Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you." -Prov. 9:8
“Scoffer” is the name of the arrogant, haughty man who acts with arrogant pride." -Prov. 21:24
5. Fight for peace and unity for the sake of the Gospel.
"These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;" -Zech 8:16
"Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." -Eph 4:3
"When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent." -Prov. 10:19
"The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent." -Ex. 14:14
"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” -Jn 16:33
"Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began," -2 Tim 1:9
"So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." -Is 55:11
"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." -Eph 4:15-16
"Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them.” -Gal 4:16
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." -Matt 5:16
"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" -Micah 6:8
9. Remember that if we are called out to hear truth, it is a fool who will respond with rage or laughter.
"If a wise man has an argument with a fool, the fool only rages and laughs, and there is no quiet." -Prov 29:9
10. We have been forgiven by a perfect and holy God, we are not above anyone else.
"He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him."-Psalm 103:10-13
"Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." -Col. 3:13
If we want to win the war, we must focus on the right battle. Sin has broken us all. All need fixing. None are without need. As believers, we must remind ourselves of our need, revel in the forgiveness and love we receive when we repent and call to God, and let the gratitude and love we feel for God and His gift, spill out over others. Fight for others to know their worth and value in the eyes of God. Desire to be a means by which people discover true love. Let love, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, wisdom, understanding, and humility guide and fight our battles. In Christ, I am confident we will find victory.
"We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone." -1 Thess 5:12-18
If we simply want to be right or stand up on our podium to look down and accuse others so that we feel better about ourself, then perhaps we ourselves need to encounter a brother or sister who calls us out in love, and reminds us through speech and demeanor that Christ loves all, and calls us to love all. Come ON, brothers and sisters! CommON man!! ;)
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