Terrorism – the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
One of the big reasons terrorism creates terror is that you don’t know who they are and when they will attack. Since 9/11 our country has been on guard and aggressively creating ways to protect itself. We are now always waiting for the attack to hit us.
I feel this alertness with my social media accounts today. I enjoy many of the benefits of social media but one negative makes it hard to justify my involvement. The “terroristic” use of destructive words. Like a Molotov cocktail, words thrown to harm are relationally devastating. The bigger concern is that those who claim Christ as their King are equally brutal. Why do we use words this way? Aren’t we as disciples of Jesus to be different? There was a day before the cowardly battle grounds of social media when you had to face a person to deal with a conflict, hurt or disappointment. I believe that social media can be a great space to learn and encourage but we must first think about our mandate as disciples.
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. James 1.26
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4.29
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. Luke 6.45
With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. Proverbs 11.9
Ironically this same tongue can be both an instrument of blessing to our Lord and Father and a weapon that hurls curses upon others who are created in God’s own image. James 3.9
Troy A Murphy 