Tuesday, December 11, 2018

STOP THROWING SHADE!


To throw shade is a slang term that means to “throw off” on someone.” To the casual observer, what is being implied is not obvious. But, to those aware of the situation of conflict, it is obvious that one person is talking in a negative manner about another.

As Christians we should be concerned with the evangelization of the world. But, too often, the world is watching our negative behavior; which turns people away from our faith. One of those negative behaviors is throwing shade. It is done in pulpits. It is done by frivolous posts on social media. And, it needs to stop.

A person is a coward if they cannot speak to a person face to face about an issue. It is being a coward to hide behind a pulpit or a keyboard. According to the Word, cowards will go to the Lake of Fire:

Revelation 21:8 8But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars-they will be
consigned
to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the
second death."

Conflicts are inevitable. It is a part of being human. Sometimes people just cannot get along with each other based on different personalities and ideologies. Even the apostle Paul and Barnabas had to separate their ministries after a fiery disagreement:

Acts 15:36-41 36Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the LORD and see how they are
doing."
37Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the LORD. 41He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

These men argued it out and moved on. Let’s follow the Bible way and come together and discuss our differences verses being like children on a playground and doing videos and frivolous posts on each other. Here is the Bible way:

Matthew 18:15-22 15"If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' 17If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to
listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
18"Truly
I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19"Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." 21Then Peter came to Jesus and
asked, "LORD, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?"
22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

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