Recently, my friend, Brian Dollar, had a post go viral. Brian, a Kid's Pastor in North Little Rock, presented an approach for parents to talk to their kids about what they are watching on television. The article was in response to Disney's recent airing of a Lesbian couple on the Television show "Good Luck Charlie." At the time of this writing, the post had been shared on Facebook almost 7,000 times.
The reason the post went viral is that it struck a nerve. It hit on a hot topic of conversation and answered questions that many Christian parents, including myself, were asking. It also brought out those that had a differing opinion than what Brian held.
The reality is that anytime you post an opinion or belief, whether a sports opinion or a religious belief, it has the potential to go viral. Your beliefs will not line up with other's beliefs and therefore could put you in the line of fire. Paul, the apostle, felt this struggle when he addressed the church in Galatia. He wrote in Galatians 4:16, "Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?"
Before posting your beliefs, make sure you are....
1. Speaking the truth in love.
As followers of Christ, there are times for us to speak the truth in love. Ephesians 4:15 (NLT) boldly declares, "Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church."
I know those on the opposite side of an issue may not feel it is love to tell them our beliefs. Is it love for me to tell my daughters not to stick a fork into a light socket? Absolutely, I love them enough to tell them that what they are doing will hurt them. Just because I believe scripture teaches something doesn't mean I hate you. It truly means I love and care for you enough to tell you that what you are doing could have eternal consequences. The important thing is that I'm conveying that love when I speak.
2. Using wisdom
Ephesians 5:15 (NLT) "So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise." There are things, such as some terminology, that needlessly offends those we are trying to help.
3. Never using social media to handle an issue you have with an individual
The Bible teaches how to handle conflict. Matthew 18:15 (NLT) states, “If another believer[a] sins against you,[b] go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back."
People cannot read body language over social media. They cannot sense the emotion behind what is being written. Therefore, it is best to address an individual conflict in a face to face meeting.
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