I am thankful that we are able to keep in touch with family and friends around the world. For years I stayed away from Facebook, but joined soon after my Mom and a friend passed away. Most of Susan’s family lives in the Philippines and their lives were passing us by and we wanted to watch our grandchildren grow up and have more contact with our daughter. It also gives me a chance to share my stories and tell them about JESUS before it is too late.
We became Facebook “Friends” with the people we had e-mailed before, mostly family and my wife’s friends. We made a lot of friends of Filipina’s married to foreigners while in the Air Force and then in the Foreign Service. My wife easily made new friends, but wasn’t good at e-mailing her old ones. Facebook fixed that and we now have an open window into their lives.
Along with all the good that is on social media, there is lot of bad. I avoid pages that are obvious problems and delete the inevitable SPAM. Unfortunately I noticed a disturbing problem with some of our friends and family. Intermixed with pictures of family, scriptures and even requests for prayer, they “Like” or commented on what we used to call dirty pictures or dirty language. Facebook automatically shares those posts with us and their Friends, family, including children and grandchildren. I want to keep in touch, but don’t need the dirt.
This is when the ones who do that and still read my stories are ready to “un-Friend” me and put me out of my misery. Don’t you realize I only mention this because I love you? In a world that either rejects GOD completely, or plays at religion, I am asking you to “choose you this day whom ye will serve” (Josh 24:15 KJV) and draw closer to GOD. But what is wrong with a few crude jokes or pictures of scantily clad women? We are told to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Prov 22:6 KJV) and you are leading them astray by your words and deeds. Is that what you want to teach your children?
This problem isn’t limited to my family and friends. Some well-meaning Christians refuse to correct and admonish their “Friends” so “dirt” is making its way into the Church. What kind of witness is “anything goes” to a world that is already being destroyed by that. “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” (James 3:11 KJV), well it shouldn’t.
A message of righteousness is a message of love, because the lost need to change. 150,000 people are dying each day and most are lost. Don’t you know “wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in”…”narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Mat 7:13-14). Maybe they are missing the way to life because it looks too much like the world? Easy religion is leading to destruction!
You say, I’m not perfect and never will be! You are right! Accept JESUS and let Him wash away your sins and make you perfect. Ok, and then? Change your way of thinking through GOD’s Word and seek after the power of the HOLY SPIRIT, because “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).
Wayne Lance (2020)