Obviously if you have been on social media and blogs since the Corona Virus led to the slowing down of things in our county you probably have seen a lot of debates. Some of these can be pretty heated and sometimes unnecessary.
I thought these points have been helpful for me in reducing unnecessary heated discussion online on the topic of Corona Virus.
1. First off realize there’s a lot you also don’t know. Humility has gotten me in less trouble in life while being haughty has gotten me in more trouble than I needed. Sure there are things you know. But my point is that there’s also a lot of things we don’t know. So how do you know you are having a humble spirit that realize there’s a lot you don’t know? You listen. You weight what people are saying. You recognize that somethings you have to wait on before you come to a conclusion. Also you realize you might have a changed perspective or at least a more nuanced position as you interact with the opinions of others concerning the virus.
2. Secondly even if the other person is wrong recognize they might have legitimate concerns driving their views. I see the concerns people have can be summarized under these four areas:
- Health
- Finances
- Supplies
- Freedom
Concern for health is legitimate. So is the concern for finance, supplies and freedom. But how we balance all four concerns is a matter of strong disagreement right now among people. Still it helps a lot to have a calm spirit when you recognize someone’s opinion might be driven by one or more of these areas of concern. Also as the days past a person might shift in their focus of what’s an issue for them. So you don’t have to get upset unnecessarily if you recognize that people might change position or at least be more wiling to see your perspective later down the road. The same applies with you!
3. Love the other person. If you are a Christian you should live you life where you don’t compromise with biblical truths that you share with others but that doesn’t mean you don’t love them and care for them. I find it that when I strongly disagree with someone but yet care for them and willing to give sacrificially to them in times of need and trouble, it helps me to put my disagreement in perspective: I don’t want to just prove to someone I’m right, I want them to see my concern for their sake. And that changes how I talk with others.
4. Pray. Yes, prayer changes things. It changes the person praying as well, and you need it! Never think praying for someone you disagree with is beneath you. Pray not only for them to change their thoughts but pray for their well being both physically and spiritually! See how that posture of prayer changes how you talk with others!
An excellent and thoughtful post. Speaking of correcting, I think you have a typo in point 2. It should read “calm spirit” not “clam spirit.” Offered humbly.
Great advice! Blessings.
Thanks for the encouraging exhortation, Jimmy!
You’re welcome! Come to think of it this is helpful for other areas of life to like political conversation. That doesnt me with compromise with biblical truths though. In light of our conversation about IFB it sure is hard to walk the biblical road that require us to have both truth and love isn’t it?
RE: it sure is hard to walk the biblical road that require us to have both truth and love isn’t it?
Yes, I bump up against this constantly. There’s definitely a need to confront the inanities and spiritual deadliness of religious legalism and atheism, but we must do so in a way that honors God.
Oh, and I also see the conspiracy folks are having a field day with this virus.
Reblogged this on The Battle Cry and commented:
Excellent advice!
Well said! Thinking of how Jesus would use social media should guide our actions.
Amen! Is it just me I see an uptick of heated arguments and one sided emphasis on social media lately? Have you seen this to be the case for your experience? Seems WordPress is better and I wonder if blogging requires longer time and reflection might have something to do with that.
My experiences with social media is limited to WordPress. But I agree with your view of WP, it does take more thought and time to express here. Most readers who interact with me display a spirit emulating Jesus and His way of treating others.
We are always in need of pray.It is just so ‘out front’ now. We also need to remember the evil one is having a hayday during all of this.
Amen we need to remember Satan uses our act in the flesh. By the way when this situation blows over I’ll be ordering cards from your Etsy account. Just have other things going at the moment, hope that’s understandable
It is but I may closeout Etsy if I dont see movement in a reasonable time.I can’t pay them just to say I have an Etsy acount I may put a ‘store’ on my blog. Not sure how but wordpress will know how. ( not trying to hurry you …just lto let you know.)
So many quacks out there spreading rumors about COVID19 VIRUS! I rebuke them in the name of Jesus!
Amen. The evil one is working. And God is too. We must pray!
Reblogged this on a simple man of God and commented:
Some pretty good advice.
Dniel
Hey, Jim! Thanks for the post. I am not sure if this fits under “freedom” 4 but politics has people riled up in my community when they discuss the coronavirus. Some places of employment are treating this as if it is a hoax created by democrats, others say this plays to Trump’s ego. My prayer is to discern what is truth from all the information, fear and discussions that are being had about COVID-19. Thank you for this post, calm spirit is truly needed! Love, prayers and blessings to you and your family!
Thank you for your comment and sharing that. I do put those political discussions under freedom because it’s about how much or how little the government has the right to limit our freedom of doing what we want. I do see this is an area we need to watch out for while also understanding their is also those other concerns. I also think it’s interesting as a personality test to see how different individuals have different concerns with the four quadrants in general as their worries in life. Is your area on semi-lockdown?
Hi, Jim! I agree 100% about responses being a personality test! We are pretty much locked down. Life sustaining work only. People are NOT heeding the 6ft rule on trails, which definitely shows on my face when I am out and about. I feel for y’all in Cali, Washington, NYC. How are your elderly congregants?
This is great advice, brother! We’ve gotten so many questions and comments about this that we decided to do a live panel discussion. I’m really excited, we’re sort of throwing it together last minute, but so far Phil Johnson and Susan Heck will be on the panel. 😃
“First off realize there’s a lot you also don’t know. ” Amen.
There has been some judging going on related to what people have in their grocery carts. I’ve learned from experience that I need to keep my mouth shut and mind my own business. The moment I decide to make a snide remark to someone with a full cart, it will be the person shopping for an entire nursing home.
Yeah I’m realizing that as things get harder the next couple of weeks and our church is going to help more and more people and we get things for other people people can confuse us for grocery hoarders instead of grocery porters for others….what a time for us to pray as believers and be much more slower to judge. How are you guys holding up this week thus far?
Great! Loving spending more time in prayer, Bible reading, etc. I still get to the end of the day wishing I had more time …
No boredom here!
Blessings to you and yours.
Amen sister. I think this crisis shows me how judgmental I am
Amen!
Thanks for this, Jim. Sometimes the press conferences sound more like interrogations these days. It’s hard to feel informed when they ask the same question over and over (even though they get the same answer).
This is excellent. Thank you.
Wow thank you for all those comments just now. Your comment about the part of Australia you live at that having the highest number of cases is certainly disturbing. What is NSW stand for, New South Wales? Praying for you down under, are you someone that have a higher risk to the dangers of this virus???
You are correct. New South Wales.
I am someone described as high risk as I am over 60. Hahaha
Sadly we won’t be able to witness this Friday due to new government regulations very few people in the street.
Church buildings are closed but we, the people should be able to gather in undisclosed locations and worship our King, instead of hiding at home.
Great post. Just yesterday, the Holy Spirit reminded me that the call for us to be light of the world and salt of the earth is as relevant now as it was before the coronavirus. And I have been praying along that line.
Reblogged this on THE FLENSBURG FILES and commented:
Some lessons when dealing with a very sensitive discussion like the Corona Virus.
We are heated but about the wrong things. We are sacrificing our childrens sacrifice for what statistics suggest isn’t worse than any other flu season. Shame on us adults, saving our own skins while children are delivered up a future with freedom.
https://alltruth.exposed/2020/03/31/the-magic-stone-is-covid19-a-clever-ruse-that-is-selfishly-sacrificing-our-childrens-future/