In going about my daily life, I often result to going to Facebook to scroll about and see what others are doing, saying, posting, feeling, and the like.  It can be what I believe to be a real “time suck,” but oftentimes I find what a beautifully placed platform it is not only to check in with what others are doing and connecting with them, but also to share one’s feelings!  It really is such a wonderful freedom to be able to get on social media and share our thoughts with friends and family, learn new things, receive encouragement when we need it most, discuss achievements, cheer others on, say a prayer for those needing it most, and altogether to be PRESENT and welcome the changes of life that sometimes come hurling at us, in both the most amazing ways and also in the most unfortunate ways.

I am a Christian writer and share Christian inspiration.  People KNOW my love for and belief in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  The reality of my faith is not lost on me or anyone who knows me well.  I want ALL people to know that no matter our walk in life, that God loves us and cares for us deeply more than our understanding can grasp.  God has given us the freedom of choice, and those that live in America have been so blessed with many, many freedoms, too numerous to list and is a whole other topic entirely.

As we learn more about and know our freedoms, we know that all freedoms come with a cost.  Some freedoms are worth their effort for change, while others cost a great deal more in sacrifice.  Looking at posts that I’ve noticed in the recent past and in the present time, I’ve seen some truly nasty, remarkably mean, and downright insensitive posts and comments exchanged.  I’m seeing a loud presence of voices needing to be heard and ideologies so strongly rooted in one’s belief they are right, that my heart breaks to see this leading to hurt feelings, damaged friendships, separation, and irreparable relationships.  I often wonder if these conversations could have been drastically different if one person took a moment to stop and think about the consequences and hurtful nature of their words before clicking “send.”

We live in a very unforgiving world, a melting pot of beliefs, political stances, diverse cultures, mixtures of ethnicities, different backgrounds, various experiences, and so much more ALL with the ability and opportunity to share those with the WORLD, while also sharing for the CHANGE we wish to see, along with the GOOD we hope to be!  However, I grow weary seeing no empathy, no love, no togetherness, but simply the wish to share our beliefs so loudly, we forget what others perceive and thus feel because of that.  We all shout from the rooftops our voices for change, for unity, for love, for justice, for peace, for one another, yet we forget that others have a vast range of beliefs aside from our own.  So much so, that we share these differences to the point of only wanting to accept that which we agree with.

Am I wrong to believe that we can accomplish this by still being receptive to the other side of the coin that is apart from our own? Believing that we can still agree to disagree and not damage our relationship?  Express our mode of thinking without it leading to name calling, unfriending, and just being outright mean to each other?  We must be prepared for the hurts that come along with the posts and words we share, no matter how they are expressed, even when not the intended result.  Words can be a powerful tool for expression, so may we all keep in mind that we are all human, we are all children of the Almighty God, and I pray that we take a moment to reflect on those differences and use discretion and wisdom in the words we say, the words we post, and the actions we take every day.

Interacting on social media can be a delicate balancing act, treading between what to say so that you can be a part of the conversation, but not so much so that you are risking offending and derailing what could be a productive conversation into a destructive interaction of verbal fisticuffs. God’s two most important commandments were designed with one word in mind…. LOVE…. and one states: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Matthew 22:39) and that doesn’t have any conditions attached to it but the golden rule of treating others and loving them regardless of ANYTHING ELSE. If we believe as we must, rooted in whatever drives us to believe as we do, may we also live under the precept that voicing our opinion on change only to hurt others, we have forfeited the idea of change altogether.  The enemy of progress is living within our comfort zones, and thus being unloving and nasty when someone else’s version is not the same as our own.  Is the hurt and pain and division we cause and/or allow worth all the words we didn’t have to say at all?

I was inspired to write the above poem (at the top of the post) in response and in deep thought from all these posts, comments, and interactions I’ve seen that I have thus named the poem “Social Media.”  May we learn that empathy, understanding, and agreement in differences can far better be on the same page in having healthy conversations with others we love and care about, than words intended to come from a hateful, divisive, uncaring place in our hearts.  May we always work towards understanding others and placing our feet in their shoes before we put our feelings out there.

Blessings to all!

“Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongues.” Proverbs 11:12

Photo for poem background by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash.