MK Gantt Ministries

Social-media is not very social. If anything, it is caustic. It has become an acid that quickly dissolves most meaningful conversation. One thing I am trying to get through my thick, old skull is that when someone has bought into a lie, prayer is a much better option than debate . . . and far less stressful.  

Prayer dispenses with all of the yelling, name-calling, and dismissive language that only deepens the divide. Bite your tongue, excuse yourself from the conversation, bow your head, and lay the matter at the feet of Jesus.

You see, here’s the thing.  God called me to win men, not arguments. If I win an argument but lose the man, I fail the call of God. It is better that I pray that the Holy Spirit will bring light to his heart than for me bruise his head.

I get it . . . I really do. There is a lot to be angry about today. Things are happening so fast it is difficult to keep our emotions in check. We get angry, we get frightened, and very often we find ourselves in a defensive posture. I am purposely not speaking directly to any of the issues, because the issues are different for all of us.  I know what it feels like to post an opinion on social media and like a plague of locusts the rain of derogatories, accusations, and profanities begin to fall. 

It is said that the Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword, able to divide bone from marrow. I have found that social media is more like a dull meat cleaver that mutilates all parties involved. Social media interactions rarely get to the truth, but it surely can stir up the fleshly inclinations of all parties. In the end, we become less concerned about the truth of a matter and focused solely upon defeating an opponent. I’m not suggesting that Christians should withdraw from social media. I am suggesting that we remember that one of the fruits of the spirit is self-control, and of all the benefits of self-control, the most critical is the ability to keep our priorities in their proper order. As a Christ-follower, my greatest priority is always to live (act, speak, respond, posture) to the glory of God. What I do and say, and how I say it, impacts the reflection of Christ that is seen in my life. I need always to take care that my behaviors do not give sinful men an opportunity to curse God. I cannot allow anything to sway me from living “to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1)

Another high priority of the Christian life is the winning of men to Christ. It may seem like a simplistic concept, but one we need to face: What is the greater goal? Is it to take first place in a debate or to turn a life to Christ? If I am bent upon defeating a man in an argument, how am I to win him to Christ?  We certainly need to contend with men and the foolishness of human wisdom, but I must continually remind myself that the goal of engaging with men is not to defeat them, but to win them to Christ so they may share in the fellowship I have in Jesus (1 John 1).

I find myself asking God for help in these matters more and more each day. As the air of human interaction grows more and more caustic, I am asking God to help me remain conscious of two primary objectives: To live that I might bring God glory in the eyes of men, and to realize that God has called me to reconcile men to Him through Christ Jesus (he has given us the ministry of reconciliation), that they might enjoy eternity with Christ. 

God did not call me to win arguments, He called me to win men.

God did not call me to save America, He called me to extend the Kingdom of Christ.

God did not call me to reign supreme in social media debates – He called me to declare the goodness, and mercy, and grace of the Savior who gave all that men might be saved. 

One of the ways I am learning to keep these priorities straight is to bite my tongue, excuse myself from the conversation, bow my head, and lay the matter at the feet of Jesus.