Good Book Explained by a Goof: I don't like Facebook

If you follow me on Facebook, why? Kidding. But I seriously never use Facebook, and not because of the regular millennial/gen z ageist response of "It is outdated" or "only old people use it." I don't use Facebook because I find the atmosphere that is created in that space is often hurtful and misused.

Just like all social media, Facebook promotes what will get the most attention. So it is pretty obvious that even though the site was created to keep you connected to your community and let you post pictures of your dog, negativity and hateful discussions are obviously getting a lot of screen time for Facebook users. It is unavoidable at this point.

So if you follow me on Facebook, you have already read this that I felt inclined to share on my blog:

Exodus 14:14 (ESV) says “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” What’s happening here? Well, Moses and the Israelites were fleeing Egypt and they reached the Red Sea. Pharaoh and his army are gaining on the people, and they have no obvious route to escape so they start fighting amongst themselves, doubting the promises of God, blaming Moses for misguiding them, and generally pointing fingers and saying “I told ya so” to everyone around them. Moses allows the Lord to use him gracefully and he responds with this beautiful piece of scripture (which you should really read on your own because I cannot suggest another chapter of the Bible more than I suggest this one.)

I would like to politely share some thoughts in light of discussions I have viewed this past week that are all too common on this site. This is not a read into deeper meaning. This is literal. This is what happened to the Israelites and Moses in the face of an internal and external conflict at the Red Sea. So there is no confusion in theology when I say this; Silence and grace-filled responses are a Christian’s best weapons in the face of a disagreement/argument.

Personally, I have a sharp tongue. I have spent most of my life trying to let the Lord guide me into grace with my responses and train me to allow Him to do the talking and avenging for the wrong done to me. The line is not always very clear where and when we should be bold and stand up for ourselves and one another but this scripture is clear. And I know this from experience: When my response to arguments and personal ridicule is allowing my witness of the Lord’s faithfulness and goodness to speak until He does himself, a miracle happens.

Are there times that two or more people should definitely work through a problem with one another? Most definitely. Are there times where we should share the facts about an establishment, group of people, or a person of authority, especially if it could influence the safety or better inform people about what that party stands for? Absolutely. Should disagreements be fleshed out on a website that anyone has access to, or in person, so tones can not be confused or construed in ways that could accidentally damage witnesses? I will let you decide.

Of course, there are going to be instances where people will refuse to take your offer to have a civil discussion in person. My rule of thumb to combat this reality is that I realize that there are unreasonable people, I will not be able to reason with them, and I need to calculate for the reasonable people instead. Meaning: There is no way that you will be able to avoid a disagreement forever. There are going to be people who don’t have the same moral code as you. There are going to be people who will refuse your grace-filled responses, requests for a more private conversation, and try to ignite your anger and cause you to lash out. No one is above this, we are all unreasonable sometimes. But the Lord is just, and his reason is impeccable. In these moments, this is the best time to silently lean on Him.

Wait on the Lord to avenge. The Lord is faithful to renew the strength of those who wait on Him. Allow Him to speak in His own way. Sometimes it will be through you, sometimes it will be in a different way. But the Lord blesses those who allow Him to do what he promised he would do.