How To Engage Online or In Person

 The internet and social media combination has to be one of the best and worst inventions. We’re roadkill on the information superhighway.

When you get hit by a truck, the fact-checkers will say it was a car. Or they will gaslight you when they say it didn’t happen. 

How can we keep up? We have to fact-check the fact-checkers, who admitted their fact-checks were opinions in a court case. 

https://nypost.com/2021/12/13/facebook-bizarrely-claims-its-misquote-is-opinion/

Jesus told us to be as shrewd as serpents, yet innocent as doves. He didn’t trust people because he knew what was in their hearts.

I turned to Proverbs for wisdom and proof-texts to push my point of view. Lady Wisdom punched me in the face. 

Right off the bat, I’m told not to be impressed with my own wisdom (3:7). Why does God have to call me out like that?

Proverbs 18:13 says posting or commenting online before listening to the facts is shameful and foolish. 

Unless your goal is to say whatever to start a fight, everyone commenting or posting thinks they’re right to some degree. The Lord examines and knows our motives. 

We have to keep a grip on our common sense and judgment. They keep us safe and steady (3:21-23). 

Intelligent people are always ready to learn, ears prepared for more knowledge. They don’t say, “I already know that.” Their cup is empty. 

Only simpletons believe everything they’re told. That’s the NLT version, by the way. The prudent carefully consider their steps. The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence (14:15-16). 

Am I saying we do or say nothing?

No. Proverbs 10:10 says those who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof is necessary. 

God detests double standards of every kind (20:10). 

An open rebuke is better than hidden love; wounds from a sincere friend are better than the kiss of a foe (27:5-6).

Love is not a friend who affirms and agrees with you all the time. Those are called sycophants—a yes-man and a reason celebrities self-destruct. 

A real friend tells you when you’re wrong. They don’t support your self-destruction. But, in the end, they appreciate honest criticism over flattery, hopefully before they lose everything. 

Suppose you have a married friend who confides in you that they’re talking to someone other than their spouse, and it’s getting serious. What do you say?

“I can’t judge.”

Wrong. 

You can’t condemn, but you can point out the wrong before it goes too far. You may even have to tell the spouse if they don’t listen. 

What are our rules of engagement?

If you read my last post, you know the targets are ideas, worldviews, and spiritual darkness. Evil will be called evil. 

For starters, we don’t pick a fight without reason when no one has done us harm. Skittles over M&Ms? That’s a preference. If it’s an opinion that doesn’t affect you, then there’s no reason to argue. 

Proverbs has some unkind things to say about people like that. Like babbling fools invite disaster (10:14). So please don’t waste your breath on them (23:9). 

Avoiding a fight over nothing is a mark of honor (20:3). So who cares if they think pineapple belongs on pizza. It’s an abomination, but that’s beside the point. 

Kidding. I actually haven’t tried it. 

Remember, in court, the first to speak sounds right—until the cross-examination begins (18:17). That’s why diverse thoughts are needed. We’re seeing it with the COVID pandemic on the medical front. 

Cross-examine every thought in culture. And honestly, some are so bad you shouldn’t go one-on-one with them without an audience. I’ll get back to that.

Proverbs 26:4 says don’t answer the foolish arguments of fools, or you’ll become as silly as they are. 

Paradoxically, the next verse says to be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools, or they’ll become wise in their estimation.

Say something loud enough and long enough without opposition, and it becomes “truth.” Unfortunately, that’s an issue with the echo chamber of your favorite news source. 

Gauge your intellectual sparring partner. Are they or the audience receptive? If yes, engage civilly. See Tactics by Greg Koukl. 

If not, don’t throw your pearls before swine. 

Now, to get off our high horse with some questions. 

1: Were you more intelligent or wiser ten years ago compared to today? 

2: Are you the exact same person? 

3: What makes you think you can’t learn anything or change now? 

Stay humble, my friends.

Fight Back?

 It’s all going to pot. The world is utterly looney-toons. Can we delay the inevitable? What should we do?

What’s God planning?

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.” Ephesians 1:3-14

We win. We’ve won. So what can we do? I can’t sit on the sidelines. 

What would God have us do?

“God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Ephesians 3:10-11

Notice who He’s showing off to? Not humans, but spiritual beings. “Have you considered my servant, Job…”

How to be worthy of showing off?

“We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.” Ephesians 4:14-15

Speaking the truth in love…what does that look like? 

The motivation, the actual reason, and not the rationalization we lie to ourselves about to justify it. 

I know because I do it.

“So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:25-32

This is a hard one. Especially when scrolling through Twitter or listening to current event podcasts. I used to be an outraged person, and I can’t let it control me.

There are things to be angry about; but keep it under control. 

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.” Ephesians 5:1-2

“Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.” Ephesians 5:10-11

Did I read that right? *rubs palms together*

Oh…there’s that speaking truth in love thing. And this question I came up with to ask myself. For social media: what’s my motivation for consuming or sharing an opinion on this?

Because I take particular joy in pointing out hypocrisy, and nothing comes of it.

“Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.” Ephesians 5:16-17

I’ve often hovered over the retweet or keyboard and had that inner voice say…” Nope.”

Yes, Lord…

Now we’re at the Armor of God passage. It’s time to suit up. I’ll personalize and paraphrase it.

I’m strong in the Lord and His mighty power. I have His armor, and I’m not fighting people. I’m fighting the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen realm, the strong powers in this dark world, and the evil spirits in the heavenly places. 

I stand my ground with God’s truth and righteousness with the peace of the good news that Jesus is King and Savior. I have faith/trust as a shield, and salvation protects my mind. 

My weapon is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. So I’m to always pray in the Spirit.

We have armor. That means we’re in a war. Remember C.S Lewis’ analogy from my post in January?

How do we fight? How do we push back the darkness?

2 Corinthians 10: 3-6 tells us we’re human, yet we don’t wage war as humans do. Put your Glock down.

We use God’s mighty weapons—prayer, proclaiming the word of God, and the authority to drive away spiritual darkness—rather than worldly weapons to knock down strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 

We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps them from knowing God. Before you bring the heat—a reminder to me, just as much as to you—Jesus did it with questions. 

Make them question their thoughts and beliefs. You’ll learn what they think and have to understand what you think.

The battle isn’t against people. It’s the darkness in the spiritual realm and its ideas that are being whispered into ears.

We can attack ideas, but only motivated by love and not controlled by anger. Likewise, we can be angry but not controlled by it.

Gird your loins.