CHURCH vs. the playground – 2 Challenges! – Part 1

Proverbs 13:20
²⁰ He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will suffer harm.

Can you think back to when you were a little child and were on the playground and someone would come running up and ask a question so fast that you said; “What?” And this retort sent those asking running off laughing and you stood confused. Well, the point of that game is to say something in such a way that no matter which way you respond; you look as if you are what they said you were. For example, someone runs up and says “Idiot say what!” real fast and you were not sure what they said so you say, “What?”. Hence answering the question affirmative that you are an idiot.

Well, this little game has continued due to the nature of social media in our culture today. A vast majority of people feel extremely confident behind the keyboard but would never take the time to have a confidential, behind closed doors, conversation about what they believe or better yet challenge you on what you believe. You see when you have a conversation face to face it might be possible for someone to challenge what you’re saying and this will impact your ability to say you believe something if you are unable to articulate that accurately. So this typically means that the most egregious offenders are so often the ones that are the least informed and they become the loudest and often the biggest bullies around.

Let me give you an example. Most people that would use the term “Bible Thumper” to criticize or chastise people typically do not even have a clue what the Word of God says; they just have some association between hypocrisy and religion due to probably something or someone in their past which claimed to be a Christian and harmed them in some way.

So that being said here I am, a man that has sinned and has fallen short in many ways, choosing to spend every day trying to live a life that is honoring to the Almighty God. I study my Bible and try to understand every word. I study the original meanings of the Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew text to make sure that I understand contextually what it is trying to say. I would consider myself a man that is educated but I also understand that someone always knows more and so life is about constant learning. I am that man that decided for me and my home we are going to turn off the tv during the Superbowl half-time show (truthfully my 14-year son beat me to the remote because he has been trained to look for the good and evaluate what meets God standard and what does not). I did not sit on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter announcing my displeasure or disgust of the halftime antics, I just made a decision based upon my beliefs what would be best and then acted upon that decision. I did not choose to post about those that sat and watched the half-time show in support of it and claim that they were pagan sinful people worthy of Sodom and Gomorrah’s judgment.

But then again I grew up before social media, in a time where your words could unite people or they could start a riot. If you ran your mouth and were out of line the potential for someone to take offense and attempt to correct your thoughts physically was all too possible. We have lost respect for others and their beliefs in the age of social media. And instead of mature older generations teaching the younger how to act and putting their foot in someone’s behind when they get out of line. We have resorted to letting the younger generation teach the older on how to act on social media. So I have a challenge for you all and your social media if you are over the age of 30 and it is this: Next time you are on social media and getting ready to post something that might be offensive to those that try to live a life based upon the Word of God please contact me and we can sit down privately and discuss your thoughts and beliefs and what Gods Word would truly say before you make yourself look like a hypocritical intolerant secular thumper!

Pastor Tyler

Make sure that you tune into tomorrow for part 2 on The Church and our responsibility in all of this craziness.