Tags
facebook christians, Facebook ministry, friends list on facebook, judgmental christians, mean christians
I have seen a trend recently on here where people are cutting folks off of their friends list because they don’t comment or interact. They say that in order to be their friend you have to comment and interact. And these are Christian people doing this.
Not all people comment, but many people read. You never know what ‘quiet’ person you are impacting.
I have learned this myself. I never remove people from my friends list unless they are a problem – and they it has to be a pretty big problem.
You have people watching you that you don’t even realize they are doing so. I have learned to be very careful; you may be the only Jesus they are exposed to.
But when presented with this, their hearts remain hard. They say they don’t want anyone watching them. I am sorry, but this is not Biblical. The Bible tells us that we are to be an EXAMPLE to others. When we made the decision to live for Christ we signed on to a pretty big and important job.
It is our job, our duty, to reach the lost. It is our JOB to lead others to Him, not shut them out because they don’t express themselves according to some set of parameters that we have in place. You cannot escape this job no matter where you go. You are either filled with the Holy Ghost and live a holy life (the best you can of course) ALL THE TIME or you don’t do it at all. God does not compromise!
I have seen people who are quiet (like me) contrasted by people who are ‘alive.’ That is not a fair comparison. People who are quiet are not dead. That is a very mean spirited assessment.
I have also seen Christians assume that quiet people do not pray or communicate. That again is not true and certainly not fair. I am a very quiet person but my relationships do not suffer. I pray daily – without ceasing. I have a strong, very good marriage – better than most. But being a quiet person I tend to think about things, take time to process them. I know I am not the only one.
But it isn’t all about me (although I do read a lot of peoples’ posts without commenting – I am autistic so I don’t always know what to say – but I do read). And like it or not people are watching you too. What kind of example are you setting? Some of the people I read, I would be afraid to walk through the door of their church. So many are judgmental and so hard. Where is the Christ like love that Jesus said we should have for one another?
Where is the operation of the body that draws people in – especially those no one else wants? And, yes, even the quiet ones?
What about the people who may not be in the same spiritual place as we are?
Do we reject them all? Do we shun them? That isn’t what my Bible says we should do.
I know in my own experience I have had people contact me who have been reading me for years – people I never knew – who have said that what I wrote had an impact on them.
I have even had several who have reached out to me after reading to ask questions, seeking a deeper relationship with God. I have done Bible studies online and on the phone. I have helped several find churches in their area, they have been baptized in Jesus name, received the Holy Ghost. It has been beautiful.
I am not saying this to be boastful, just to illustrate the importance of being very careful what you say and do and especially how you treat others.
But that is just me, how I operate. I understand that isn’t for everyone. It is my own personal conviction that when I made the decision to live for God that I would let Him shine through me – in fact I pray for that every day. It is my own personal conviction to reach others, to influence and plant seeds no matter what that looks like – even if it means putting things out there and no one responds.
I don’t need an ego boost. I don’t need people responding to everything I write. I don’t do it for my ego. I do it for God.
I guess I just see things a little differently. For me, living for God is full time and it isn’t done on my terms. I gave my life over to Him and I just do as He directs. I have seen enough people hurt by what I assume is unintentional rejection by their Christian brothers and sisters – I have even been there myself, hurt.
So many have what looks like lofty attitudes but really I believe that they have just forgotten that not everyone is at the same spiritual place that they are. They simply need to be reminded (at least I hope that is all it takes).
There are a lot of hurting people who need to feel accepted and if we don’t draw them in hell sure will.
