Christian Living

“We need to think about social media as not being absolutely good or bad,” said Amy Gonzales, an assistant professor who studies social media and health at Indiana University’s Media School. “We need to think about how to come up with appropriate uses of this stuff.” -excerpt from article on Levittownnow.com. 

The article opened with a story about a young lady who found some respite from her troubled mind at 1:30 a.m. after breaking up with her boyfriend hours before by reaching out to friends on Facebook. 

Facebook is just a conduit for people to communicate. Like the tongue, it has the power to bless or to curse.         

"A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit." Proverbs 15:4        

 I've read very edifying Christian blogs and comments on Facebook. I link my blogs, where I write mainly about the homeless from a Christian perspective, to my Facebook account. A guy I knew from a former church I attended, who went to Westminster Theological seminary, also links his blogs about the faith, to his Facebook account.  

I indirectly found the church I attend through Facebook. Since I met a homeless woman and teamed up with and helped her during her struggle with lung cancer, she kept mentioning a church in New Jersey she had gone to and wanted to go back. Sandi didn't remember the name of it – just the main pastor's name, Abie, whom she said gave great sermons and his wife Melissa, whom she said had a beautiful singing voice.  Periodically, I'd go on Sandi's Facebook account. One time I saw a photo of Abie.  I clicked on it and came to a link for the City of Refuge Fellowship church in Burlington, New Jersey.  

On the church's Facebook page, I read up on the church, divined it was a Bible believing church, and got the phone number and directions. I was having problems with the church I was attending. It taught the Word of God, and edified me but there was a dichotomyin that members, and even the pastor, even sometimes from the pulpit, incessantly brought up leftistpolitics and the wrong idea that our country is systemically racist. They were on the same page as those who see everything as racist. 

I was now able to bow out gracefully, not having to explain my problem tothat church. 

The Lord works in mysterious ways, even through social media.  

Sandi, who said she was too tired to go to the old church, was so excited to renew the fellowship that she came with me, although struggling along with her walker to get in. One time, in the middle of the service, she kissed me and said "thank you for taking me here."  

Going to the City of Refuge Fellowship together stopped, as Sandi was too chronically fatigued to go to church with me.  

I thought we were out of the woods. I had taken Sandi to the ER almost three years ago where she was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer, which had metastasized to the brain and the liver. For a few months, the brain tumor was treated with radiation. Then chemo for a year. The cancer came back in the liver, but the recently marketed Opdivo ate up the cancer as if Packman was going through. 

During the last few months, it got harder for Sandi to get up from a seat or the car. Fast forward to about a month ago, she stopped eating and drinking and couldn't get around at all. We found out that the brain cancer returned and can't be retreated. 

I've been camping out every day at her bedside in a nursing home, where I take my laptop. 

I read God's Word to her – including an outline of Abie's sermons on the church's Facebook page. 

Sandi confessed that "Jesus is in my heart."  

Also on the church's Facebook page I can message the church. Either Abie or Amanda, the youth pastor, responds to me and helps me with what I'm going through, spiritually.  

On Amanda's Facebook page I found details about her work with students participating at See You At The Pole, a global, annual event where students meet at the flagpole before school to pray. I gleamed her comments and did research to do a blog about the event. 

I have found, however, the dark side of Facebook. Cursing, vulgarity. When I come across this, I skip over it. When someone posts bad language on my FB page, I delete it. Onone occasion, a Facebook friend posted a story about a celebrity "coming out of the closet" and announcing he was "gay." I remarked "I wish these queers would stay in the closet" and the politically correct attacked me – called me hateful – that my comments affected a lot of people. One of them called me a "douchebag".  Another poster backed me up. He wrote that we are all sinners, but to glorify something sinful is wrong.  

My Facebook friend and casual friend, who claimed to be a Christian, instead of defending my right to my opinion, commented "Jeff knows better."  I unfriended her on FB and in real life. She agrees with my view on the matter but she was upset that the politically correct got upset because of me, and used me as a scapegoat. 

Facebook is a tool. It can be used for good or bad. It's been mostly good for me, a blessing. 

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11