Written Reflections of Our Character - How Christians Should Respond on Social Media, A Guest Post

I'm delighted to share a guest post from my friend Gail Purath . Gail loves God's Word and knows how to apply it to everyday life. She writes 1-minute devotions over at Bible Love Notes. I know you'll be challenged and inspired by her post today. Thanks, Gail, for sharing your insights with us today.
 

Whether we like it or not, social media has become a huge part of human relationships. How we comment on blog posts, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest pages reflects our character, our spiritual maturity, and our consideration for others.  

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

As a blogger I deal daily with people's joyful, angry, affirming, critical, humble, and arrogant comments.

Cruelty and ad hominem tactics in comments from professing Christians often shock me. I find it challenging to exercise self-control and respond graciously when I get such comments. I'm usually successful, but it's a challenge. 

 When responding online, I try to remember to stick to the subject, explain my view, and share Scriptures that support my view. Most important, however, is not to question the faith or character of those with whom we disagree. 

Remember we're talking to real people. 
 
When we write a comment, we sometimes forget we're having a conversation with a real person. Keeping this in mind helps me write healthier comments. I try to imagine I'm speaking to fellow church member or neighbor.   

I'm convinced most Christians who leave rude comments would never be so rude in face-to-face conversations.

It's also important to read things carefully and accept correction  

Many people skim an article, make assumptions, and comment half-cocked.  

To answer before listening-- that is folly and shame. Proverbs 18:13  
I had to ask one man to leave my discussion group because he repeatedly claimed I'd written something I hadn't written. And when I pointed this out, he refused to admit his mistake. Instead, he became increasingly rude.   

Refusing correction is a huge problem online and off. If we're wise, Proverbs says we will actually love correction.

Correct the wise and they will love you for it. Proverbs 9:8  

I'm not sure I'm at that point yet, but I want to be.   
See The Sting of Correction. 
 

We must also beware of Trolls  

In addition to being careful about our comments, we need to understand a type of person we sometimes encounter on social media: the "troll."  

Trolls write arrogant, aggressive, repetitious comments. They don't simply sharing an alternate view, they purposely try to offend people. I've had a single troll leave as many as forty comments on my posts in one day. Troll comments are always rude and arrogant and some contain threats and profanity.(1)    

Experts warn us not to respond to trolls because they become empowered by offending people and don't respond to reasonable debate. I've learned this the hard way. Trolls are definitely the kind of fools described in Proverbs 26:4. See a Foolish Contradiction.  

People who occasionally write rude comments are not trolls. They're just rude. Trolls are obsessed with writing mean-spirited comments. They have emotional and spiritual problems.   

While most trolls who stalk my posts are atheists, I've also had some who are professing Christians: those with strong views about translations of the Bible, Saturday sabbaths, Old Testament laws, etc.(2) 

   

I advise people with very strong non-essential views to stick to blogs and social media sites that hold to their specific view. There's no purpose in repeatedly disagreeing with an author who holds a different view.

The Irony of Rude Comments  

I've also gotten some especially rude comments over the controversial subjects I occasionally address such as "Christian" yoga, or the popular books The Shack and Jesus Calling. We need to face the fact that Christians are not going to agree on everything, but we should at least be able to disagree with grace.   

There's an irony when someone claims that yoga, The Shack, or Jesus Calling has drawn them closer to the Lord, but they tell me these things with anger, resentment and name-calling.   

This brings me to the biggest irony and hypocrisy of all: those who judgmentally inform someone that they're a hypocrite, unbeliever, pharisee, or something worse because they share something that addresses sin. 

"Judge not" may just be the two most misunderstood words in the Bible. They're almost always used to judge in the exact way Matthew 7:1-5 condemns. This is why I have a whole collection of 1-minute devotions called Misunderstandings About Judgement.  

Conclusion  

I encourage you, as I encourage myself, to remember that our words on social media are written reflections of what's in our hearts.  

May the words of our mouths, the meditations of our hearts, and our comments on social media be pleasing in God's sight (Psalm 19:14).  

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Foot Notes:  

(1) Psychologists have various views about the cause of troll behavior: brain damage, bad childhood, narcissism, psychopathy, etc. But they agree that trolls are typically bored and angry people who get a sick enjoyment and a feeling of power from leaving repetitive rude comments. As with some other disorders, these folks might seem quite normal in social circles, but when they get on social media, they become obsessive and/or cruel. (source)  

(2) If you are interested in exploring any of the "controversial" subjects I mentioned above, you can use these links. These are not my 1-minute devotions sent to subscribers: Is the KJV the Best Translation, Is One Day Holier than Another, and All or Nothing: Christ's Fulfillment of the Law.

If you would like to receive Bible Love Notes 1-minute devotions each weekday via email, we're offering a free e-booklet with subscriptions: "10 Days to a More Meaningful Quiet Time." Find out about free subscriptions HERE.  

 If you would like to sample some Bible Love Notes 1-minute devotions check out the Subject Archive with over 60 categories such as Handling Adversity, Discovering, Developing, and Using our God-Given Gifts, and Christians Who Inspire.   

You might also like to check out Bible Love Notes on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram, but please leave only mature comments! 😃 

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