Social media is a great tool. It can be used to connect with old friends, find new connections, and post your thoughts. It is also a dangerous tool when abused. It can bring out the absolute worst in us.
One thing I see—either on Facebook or Twitter—is nonsense arguments from Christians. It seems like a lot of men enjoy stirring the pot and engaging in a heated argument with an anonymous Twitter troll. It’s rather obnoxious. It’s overboard polemics. The types of arguments and snarky one-liners (I will confess that I can be a snarky person sometimes, but I think it depends on the situation) are akin to Pulpit & Pen type antics: it’s quite ridiculous. Many men I see on social media get pleasure out of arguments on just about anything, whether it’s over baptism or social justice.
Please don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying to never get in a discussion/argument on social media. But what I am saying is don’t go looking for one.
Brother, don’t be quarrelsome. Not only is that not a trait of a man who desires to be a pastor, but it’s not a winsome trait of a lay Christian, either.
But, before I go further, I should give a biblical definition of what a quarrel is, what it means to be a quarrelsome Christian.
What Does It Mean to be Quarrelsome?
Kevin DeYoung, Pastor of Christ Covenant Church, said this about the issue:
“Quarrels, at least in Proverbs, are unnecessary arguments, the kind that honorable men stay away from (17:14; 20:3). These fights aren’t the product of a loving rebuke or a principled conviction. These quarrels arise because people are quarrelsome. Some Christians have a lifeline to Speedway and love to pour gasoline on every tiny spark of conflict.”
DeYoung—better yet, Proverbs—hits the nail on the head. Quarrels are unnecessary arguments, and that’s virtually all we see on Facebook and Twitter. You can make a valuable opinion about something be an obnoxious sound bite on social media if you don’t converse with gentleness and grace.
If all you do on social media is argue non-stop, delete the app off your phone and don’t get on for a long time.
Brothers, Let’s Be Better
God calls us to be gentle, kind, compassionate. He doesn’t call us to be hateful, argument-starting jerks that don’t care about answers. KB, in his new song “Long Live the Champion,” says this convicting line: “You do not want answers, you want arguments.”
Men, think about KB’s indictment here. When you argue on social media, are you looking for answers anda common ground, or are you looking to throw your unwanted opinion in the ring and stir the pot more?
Examine your motives. Test your heart. Act biblically. It does not please God’s heart to see His beloved children arguing incessantly just because it is fun. Think before you tweet; think before you post.
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