As I browse social networks I often ask myself, "What type of people have we become?" Not for the endless parade of bathroom booty pics, or vulgar jokes.
But because I often see AWFUL advice...
"Those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter.
" I see little quotes and memes such as this one all the time on social media.
And it always makes me pause.
Who are we these days and what have we become? Do we really feel this way about other people? So you're telling me, if someone has a problem with something you're doing, they suddenly don't matter to you any longer? How selfish that is.
What if this person just misunderstands you? What if this person is just showing they care? Or better yet, what if you're WRONG?? On so many posts, tweets and updates I see sayings that teach us to get rid of anyone and everyone that doesn't line up with our personal way of thinking.
I see "quotes" that tell us not to care.
Don't care about those who hurt us, don't care about those who walk away from us, don't care about those who don't think like us, just don't care...
If that's the case, then how will we grow? How will we learn the that the differences we have are what make us all so unique and lovable? Even in Christian circles I see posts about getting rid of people who don't add to your life.
Really? My dear Christ-like friend, what if you're the one who is supposed to add to their lives? If I remember correctly, the woman with the issue of blood didn't make Jesus unclean when she touched Him.
In fact it was the exact opposite.
By touching Him, she became clean.
how can you help another become clean if you remove them from your lives, just because they don't "add" to it.
i would say that your care for them and taking the time to add to their lives inevitably adds to yours...
But it gets worse.
I see people telling each other things like, "If they left you don't cry just show them the door! God has better for you!" It's enough of us behaving like uncircumcised Philistines.
It's enough of us telling people to not cry and not care.
If someone you love has walked out of your life, THAT HURTS! Don't bury the pain.
Cry! Cry hard and cry often.
Cry to Jesus! We shouldn't encourage people to not identify and address their pain.
We should actually be there to comfort them and give them a shoulder to cry on.
Most of the time, the "better" you're talking about is locked up in the hurt, pain, and tears you're trying so hard to avoid.
Some of life's best lessons are learned through the blur of teary eyes.
Some of the best relationships, best inventions, best businesses, best ministries are born in times of pain and reflection.
If someone doesn't agree with something you do.
Don't throw them away.
Reason together, learn together and love ANYWAY! You might find our you were wrong.
Or they might find out you were right.
In either case, someone has the opportunity to change for the better.
Someone will have the benefit of loving, and the other the benefit of being loved.
Of course I'm not suggesting that we stay in circumstances that are detrimental to our lives on a regular basis.
There comes a time when a moral standard must be upheld and the possibility that a particular relationship needs to be severed.
But that doesn't mean you stop caring about them, or stop loving them, or stop praying for them.
We become better, through Christ, by expressing to Him the truth of the hurt.
When we do that He can heal us, teach us and prepare us for the "thoughts of good and not evil" that bring us our "expected end".
in our tears to Him, we grow closer to Him and He prepares us for the "better" he has for us.
We become better when we practice long suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, temperance, love, joy, and peace.
These are the signs and the evidence that we are pursuing our Savior.
This is how are supposed to be.
I want to be that way.
Do you?