WHAT WOULD JESUS POST?
Several years ago, a longtime friend told me about a teenage girl who was caught shoplifting in the Walmart store where he was an Assistant Manager. When they went through the bag of things she had stolen, in the bottom they found some WWJD items.
What would Jesus do? You remember how popular those items were, don’t you? Well, she had stolen several of them. My friend asked her, “And just exactly what do you think Jesus would have done in this situation?” She replied, “Well, I guess He wouldn’t have stolen these things.”
You can’t miss the irony in that story, can you?
But, I got to thinking about another but still related matter. If Jesus was on Facebook, what do you think He would post?
Let me mention some of the things that I often see there? I see posts, or reposts, from people who profess to be Christians, that are laced with profanity. I read tirades where people who don’t hold the same political or religious views as the one doing the posting are called idiots, fools, or worse. I see especially provocative pictures posted by some otherwise attractive young women. I read rather negative remarks about some church or individual Christian that didn’t live up to the expectations of the one doing the posting.
I’m sure you’ve seen the same things and more besides. I hope you are as troubled by them as I am. It almost makes me want to stay away from Facebook, but then you wouldn’t see this posting, would you?
Since when did Facebook become a place to air all our family’s or church’s dirty laundry? Why do some use it to blast those who have different views from the ones they hold? Why have personal attacks, incendiary language, and racially insensitive comments become so commonplace? Why has it become a place to use vulgar words and post suggestive pictures?
Why have we allowed something that has so much potential for good to become so corrupted? What is wrong with us?
I just wonder what Jesus would do? I don’t really have to wonder, however. I know he would have no part in anything that is lewd, suggestive, or demeaning. That’s just not the Jesus way, and it must not be the Christian’s way, either.
I know some could care less about this matter. They might even laugh at what would be considered the ramblings of another old fuddy-duddy. They insist upon their freedom to post whatever they want, as long as Facebook doesn’t take it down. They are satisfied to let the chips fall where they may. But many of you, and I, are different. We wear the name of Christ. We strive to bring honor and glory to Him. And even when we are right in our assessment of others in our posts, we are duty bound to be kind and considerate.
Ephesians 4:29 applies to Facebook, too. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
Several years ago, a longtime friend told me about a teenage girl who was caught shoplifting in the Walmart store where he was an Assistant Manager. When they went through the bag of things she had stolen, in the bottom they found some WWJD items.
What would Jesus do? You remember how popular those items were, don’t you? Well, she had stolen several of them. My friend asked her, “And just exactly what do you think Jesus would have done in this situation?” She replied, “Well, I guess He wouldn’t have stolen these things.”
You can’t miss the irony in that story, can you?
But, I got to thinking about another but still related matter. If Jesus was on Facebook, what do you think He would post?
Let me mention some of the things that I often see there? I see posts, or reposts, from people who profess to be Christians, that are laced with profanity. I read tirades where people who don’t hold the same political or religious views as the one doing the posting are called idiots, fools, or worse. I see especially provocative pictures posted by some otherwise attractive young women. I read rather negative remarks about some church or individual Christian that didn’t live up to the expectations of the one doing the posting.
I’m sure you’ve seen the same things and more besides. I hope you are as troubled by them as I am. It almost makes me want to stay away from Facebook, but then you wouldn’t see this posting, would you?
Since when did Facebook become a place to air all our family’s or church’s dirty laundry? Why do some use it to blast those who have different views from the ones they hold? Why have personal attacks, incendiary language, and racially insensitive comments become so commonplace? Why has it become a place to use vulgar words and post suggestive pictures?
Why have we allowed something that has so much potential for good to become so corrupted? What is wrong with us?
I just wonder what Jesus would do? I don’t really have to wonder, however. I know he would have no part in anything that is lewd, suggestive, or demeaning. That’s just not the Jesus way, and it must not be the Christian’s way, either.
I know some could care less about this matter. They might even laugh at what would be considered the ramblings of another old fuddy-duddy. They insist upon their freedom to post whatever they want, as long as Facebook doesn’t take it down. They are satisfied to let the chips fall where they may. But many of you, and I, are different. We wear the name of Christ. We strive to bring honor and glory to Him. And even when we are right in our assessment of others in our posts, we are duty bound to be kind and considerate.
Ephesians 4:29 applies to Facebook, too. “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
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