Its been quite a while since I last posted some thoughts - maybe "a while" is in understatement. The reason? Well there are a few factors that have entered into my lack of blogging: Busyness at work and home have been at an all time high and more importantly there haven't been too many topics and thoughts that I have felt pressed to comment on and share my thoughts.
That changed yesterday as I was doing my random Twitter check.
Twitter is great because you get short bursts of peoples thoughts. opinions, locations, and goings ons. Its also a great place to practice the art of discernment. I often talk with my friends and co-workers about the power of positive tweeting and sarcastic tweeting. I will have to admit, I don't always tow the line on using twitter to encourage (UK fans are well aware of this-#freeenes-see pic above) but I am attempting to keep my sarcasm and negative thoughts off the computer screen as much as possible.
Another way that I see this social media craze taking a left turn is when people will post updates and it is obvious that they are trying to side step accountability by "letting it all out there".
I follow several random artists/celebrities and there is one particular guy that we'll say is more of a "progressive" christian - I'm pretty sure he would be flattered with that label. He likes to post things and then invite anyone who is conservative in their politics to "unfollow" him. He's often known to update how many followers he has lost in a day - a badge of honor, I guess. He is criticized for his "falling away from true Christianity" and praised for his "realness'.
I'm rambling - here's his tweet:
"regarding the content of my twitter feed, expect me to write about the whole of life, not just my spirituality. otherwise, best to unfollow"
Most of the replies to this talked about how great it is that He is so "real" or how he needs to come back to his roots as a Christian. I replied that I wasn't sure you could separate spirituality from your "whole" life but i digress....
Here's the deal: Realness does not equal controversial. I certainly don't agree with everyone on Twitter or even the friends I interact with in person daily. I don't have that expectation of my relationships. What I wish I could expect from everyone is that they be "real" in their convictions and struggles and not use them to boast or as a badge of honor.
Victories in life, struggles with Sin, political views, social convictions and any thing else under the sun should be shared to encourage and grow with one another. Not shock, intentionally offend, or marginalize others.
Flaunting our choices knowing it will offend others, I believe, often shows our uneasiness with our behavior. We want to put on a front of confidence and a "don't judge me" because I am being "real" attitude when in fact we are dodging what the bible outlines as accountability. Yes - it's best to be "real" with one another but it's so we can encourage and uplift one another.
I love this passage in James 5 out of the Message Translation:
13 Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing.14 Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master.15 Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be forgiven—healed inside and out.16 Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.
In Verse 16 we are urged to confess and then pray so we can be whole and healed - or as I like to think "Real". Wouldn't it be great if we all could do this every day with everyone...
