After Charlie Kirk was assassinated, I realized (as many did) that something is very, very wrong with our society. We all have a sin problem, of course, but in recent years something is amplifying it. That something, I’m afraid, might be social media.
When I look at my life before social media versus now, I can confidently say it hasn’t made me any happier.
Social media is causing me to be angry with people I don’t even know. Since it entered my life, my concern for the lost seems to have waned. When I see a disagreeable post or comment, my first instinct isn’t always to pray for the person’s well being. Sometimes, a piece of me–an ugly piece–brazenly thinks, They’re going to get what they deserve.
That rogue thought tells me all I need to know. If it weren’t for Jesus’s saving and redeeming work on the cross, I would also get what I deserve.
Am I being too hard on myself?
I don’t think so. Those evil, random fleeting thoughts are why our default destination is hell. Because our God is so magnificent and holy beyond our wildest imaginations, what I perceive as a small slight is actually a profound injustice.
The notion that our “small” sins condemn us to hell is a difficult one to grasp. Believe me. I’m well aware of how disturbing this spiritual reality is. But it is why we must take our thoughts seriously. When we see evil in them, we must root it out. Not to save ourselves and make us “good enough” for heaven, but because, even as saved children of God, evil, if allowed to fester, will harden our hearts. It will cause our love for Jesus to dim. Worst case, it could cause that love to extinguish entirely.
Why should we expect Jesus to welcome us into His kingdom if we spend our lives hating Him with out thoughts and actions?
If the idea of losing your salvation scares you, you’re not alone. But take heart. It means you still love your Lord and Savoir. You still desire to please Him. You are one of His. So, don’t let what I’m saying scare you. Please. I want my words to inspire you to double down on loving God, honoring your Savior, praying, reading your Bible, and banishing any thoughts that do not align with God’s Word.
Bottom line: if social media causes you (or me) to sin, it’s a net negative. Cut it out of your life.
If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. Matthew 5:29-30 NIV
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Image by Thomas Ulrich from Pixabay