Someone made a good point the other day on Facebook with a question. Has anyone ever changed your mind and made you switch your political party because of their cogent and convincing post? Of course, not. If someone criticizes my political perspective with a grocery list of statistics, or makes an ad hominem attack on people who believe like I do, will I then bow to their overwhelming FB presentation and change my political leanings? Of course, not. I bet it would be safe to say that no one has ever changed anyone’s vote or party affiliation through a so-called argument on Facebook. But that sure doesn’t keep some from trying, huh?
Truly intelligent people are not spending their time in life making political points on Facebook. Because they are intelligent! But truly spiritual people can lose their freedom in Christ if they get suckered into responding to opposing ideas on Facebook.
Here’s the issue: We are living in a time of such polarization that we don’t just dismiss our opponents, we demonize them. They become our enemies, and we open our hearts to become embittered toward them, toward “their people” in Washington D.C., and we allow a critical, judgmental spirit to rule us. This puts us in a prison, and we lose our freedom in Christ.
Here’s the truth: In general we do this —perceive people as enemies— not because of who they are, but because of who we are. When you demonize someone for their ideas, you tend to write more and longer responses on Facebook. This is a reflection that the other person now has control over you, and you have lost your freedom in Christ. You are not free to love, because you are now filled with this other person’s anger.
You are caught up in all of this useless activity
because of WHO you are choosing to be at the moment.
If you have to defeat liberal Christians, or bash conservative Christians; if you have to argue that gays are ruining the world, or that all Christians are homophobes; if you have to argue that Obama was a communist, or that Trump is a white supremacist; if you have to argue that the media is biased, or that only Fox News lies . . . if you have to put everyone in their place and argue for your righteous truth-claims, then are you “telling” us that you have a need to be validated, to be seen as “holier than thou?” Are you “telling” us that you are a bully or a coward, because you were once bullied into cowardice. Or is it that you have lost your soul in your anger? Have you landed yourself in a prison of bitterness, fitting with the story from which you have never healed. Your mind will not be set on things above (Col 3:2), and you will swerve from the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:14).
If I spend all my life trying to prove that others are wrong, then who will be around one day to tell me when I am wrong. My greatest growth in life came when I discovered that I really didn’t have the relationship with God that I thought I had. I was forced out of my own flattering opinion of myself, and came to know that God’s grace worked its best in me when I was weak and humble. God is opposed to the proud (James 4:6) . . . and, well, that might be a sobering thought for all of the “I’m right!” crowd on Facebook.
Be wise, my Christian friends. We are entering a trying time here in the USA. We actually do have enemies, people who want to hurt us for our ideas. They don’t just think we are wrong-headed. No, they believe that we are evil! But wanting to attack back and “set them straight” says more about who you are, than about who they are.
You can be involved in politics or postings if so led. But righteousness is still the same whether it is the first century or the twenty-first century. Jesus says, “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44). How can you do that? You can’t, but He can. It’s by grace through faith.
The gospel of Grace transforms your interior condition (at the level of Identity) to move you to love your enemy, to refrain from angry postings on Facebook, and to pray for the co-worker, classmate, family member, or neighbor who believes differently from you.
The greatest of these is love (I Cor 13:13), love from a pure heart (I Tim 1:5).
You might be disagreed with, held in contempt, or even slandered. Others might be offensive. Others might be ugly. But they, too, are unhealed from their back-stories.
Wouldn’t it be great to be healed and set free from needing to prove any thing. I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live (Gal 2:20) . . . so I have nothing to prove.
Who do you want to be?
– Carter