What does brotherly love look like on social media?

It doesn't take long after logging into your social media platform of choice before you feel the urge to get down. It's easy to get caught in the crossfire of various moral, political, and spiritual battles online just by scrolling, providing a quick temptation to disconnect and pretend it's not happening. Oh the comfort when we look the other way, shield our eyes, or show another cute puppy or cat video and remain naive at war.

For others, however, it can be just as tempting to plunge headlong into war, fists in the wind and sword swinging, oblivious to the casualties around us and the carnage we leave in our wake.< /p>

Falling into the ditch on either side isn't ideal. So what does the straight and narrow middle path look like? How can we converse without condemning, or argue without endorsing? And more importantly, how can we engage without leaving the scene scarred by battle or hurting those we leave behind? Especially when the other side is often another Christian?

It's not easy, but I think 1 Corinthians 13 provides a great pattern for us to follow. Although social media and the World Wide Web were not invented when the Bible was written, this passage is rich in wisdom and proves that the Bible is the Living Word and still provides the answers we need. need.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV) says, "Love is patient, love is good. It is not envious, it does not boast, it is not not proud. He does not dishonor others, he is not selfish, he does not get angry easily, he does not keep track of wrongs. Love does not rejoice in evil but rejoices in the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

Here are ten biblical tips on what brotherly love looks like on social media today:

1. Love is patient

This one is very difficult, especially when it comes to online questions. How many times do we wait impatiently for the other person in our conversation to come back to our way of thinking? How many times do we eagerly wait for them to stop talking (while barely listening) so we can be heard instead? How many times do we patiently listen to them before going through them with our own perspective? If you're like me, this one can be very compelling. We generally seek to be heard, not to be heard, and the fact is that we will never get anywhere that way, especially as a Christian witness. Deep breathing and a prayer for patience can go a long way when it comes to engaging on social media.

2. Love is kind

This one is so simple, yet so difficult. Kindness is crucial. On social media, it's worth going the extra mile to really filter what you say, because there's no tone or body language to go along with your block of text. So much can be misinterpreted and misjudged due to the lack of in-person conversation, especially on hot-button issues like the ones we are constantly bombarded with today. Let your words (whether spoken or typed!) overflow with undeniable kindness. You will never regret going that extra mile. (And remember the golden rule!)

3. Love is not envious

On social media, it can be tempting to get jealous of the number of likes or comments someone receives on a particular topic. We might have invested our souls in writing a heartfelt post on any issue, only to feel ignored, while another Christian brother with a bigger platform received a huge amount of comments. Are we trying to have a voice to speak about things that bring glory to God, or are we just trying to be heard or even become famous? Check your heart posture before posting and be on your guard against jealousy and envy towards your brother.

4. Love does not boast and is not proud

These two go hand in hand and are all over social media. It's hard to show brotherly love if we're always bragging about ourselves, isn't it? And it's hard to effectively strike up a conversation with our neighbor when we're too proud to even hear their point of view. Pride says, "I'm right and you're wrong" and leaves no room for argument. If you can keep pride off the platform, you will go much further in successfully expressing your thoughts or beliefs.

5. Love is not selfish

Ouch. This one is tricky too, isn't it? When we truly show brotherly love, we have a deep-rooted desire for the other person's well-being. Do we get better at both the poster and the conversation...