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Blessed Are the Keyboard Warriors... Said No One Ever

First, just because you say you’re a Christian don’t mean you are….

There are many clones out there giving the authentic ones a bad name.

However, even a true Christian can be mess up, sin, or act ugly or be mean on Facebook.

When I see a headline story that catches my interest, my guilty pleasure is to head to the comments section! And oh my…what people say behind the curtain!

That is temptation valley!

Get thee behind me Facebook!

Opinions dripped with judgment, harshness, and condemnation.

And the saddest thing of all? Self-professing Christ followers… attacking another Christian.

Viciously typed words compelled to rip people to shreds in order to prove their view. To show how knowledgeable they are. Most disturbing of all, they felt it was their duty to prove you wrong.

It was watching Christians trying to win an argument while losing their witness.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

Not:

Blessed are the last word getters.

I've watched people quote John 3:16 in one post and call someone an idiot in the next.

When did being right become more important than being Christlike?

Why do we type things we'd never say in the church foyer?

We compare our attack as Jesus flipping tables.

Can we really justify rude behavior by saying, "Well, Jesus overturned tables."

The problem is Jesus cleansed the Temple once, but He spent the overwhelming majority of His ministry healing, forgiving, eating with sinners, and speaking truth with compassion.

As Christians are we better off with social media?  

I believe you can use any tool for good or for evil.

Before we hit "Post," perhaps we should ask a couple of questions:

What would Jesus comment?

If this comment were read aloud from the church pulpit Sunday morning, would I still want my name attached to it?

Some Christians seem to believe the Fruit of the Spirit now includes:

  • Righteous Indignation
  • Professional Offense
  • Competitive Arguing
  • Advanced Eye Rolling
  • Black Belt Keyboard Karate

I checked ….apparently I have an outdated Bible.

I grew up believing if you couldn't say something nice...

...don’t say nothing at all…DON’T COMMENT!

Correction in love is ok, but attacking with Meanness isn’t.

Folks get a case of the Keyboard courage. They become ten feet tall behind a keyboard. Or like a chihuahua  who thinks they can take on a pit bull.

Some have a case of the Christian Road Rage on Wi-Fi.

Road rage...without leaving the recliner.

No gasoline required.

Just Wi-Fi.

Sunday morning...Keyboard warriors will seeing I Surrender All…and FIVE minutes later…

...be arguing over barbecue, race, football, politics, or whether someone's dog looked at them funny.

If you find this description might be you, if you find you can’t hold your tongue via the keyboard when something gets under your dander, if you need to prove your side more than representing Jesus, then maybe you have a posting problem.

Some folks treat Facebook like it's the Department of Correcting Everybody.

They can't enjoy breakfast until they've fixed three strangers, one pastor, and a weather forecast.

Now if someone is using scripture wrong or being blasphemous, you may correct in love but don’t reign down fire and brimstone.

Don’t go to the easy, “You are not a Christian argument” either. No one, and I mean no ONE knows the heart of any person but Christ.

I think the vilest behavior is the political posts! I've seen believers defend politicians harder than they defend Scripture.

Some Christians have become disciples of cable news with a little Jesus sprinkled on top.

Jesus over political party…no grey area.

We have folks who haven't spoken to their next-door neighbor in six months...

...but they'll spend three hours arguing with "PatriotGrandpa47" from Nebraska over policy and candidates.

The Bible’s James wrote:

"Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."

Social media reversed it.

Quick to post.

Slow to think.

Instantly angry.

The church can be seen trolling articles on:

football...

Bible translations...

barbecue...

whether pineapple belongs on pizza...

and I'm pretty sure one fellow almost split a church over Miracle Whip versus mayonnaise.

Are you guilty? Are you tempted?

Then, try the Facebook Fast…

The Instagram diet and Tik Tok Flush.

I suspect heaven has a file cabinet labeled:

“Comments that were typed...then wisely deleted.”

If the Holy Spirit is guiding, then the urge to post ugly will dwindle.

Maybe Christianity isn't measured by how loudly we defend Jesus on Facebook...

Maybe it's measured by how often Jesus must keep us from hitting "Send."

If that's true, I'd like to thank the Holy Spirit for saving my testimony...one deleted comment at a time.

Then, if you find you are constantly in troll mode on social media, being mean and snarky, and you are satisfied with the comments you make in the war of right and wrong, then you might not be an authentic Christian.

Perhaps it's time for an honest heart check. Jesus changes more than where we spend eternity—He changes how we treat people, even on social media.

Please, feel free to comment on this column. I can take it.

James 1:26, "Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless." (NIV)

 


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