Spree

My cousin Wayne and I have had a joke about Spree candy for fifty years. The 1st time we ate Spree we were sitting on his back porch, splitting a roll while his younger brother napped. Wayne popped a red one in his mouth and said this tastes like a rose smells. Red Spree still has a special place in my heart.

For my birthday, Wayne donated to my online fundraiser benefiting the Lone Survivor Foundation. So, I was surprised to learn a package from him was on the way, it arrived last night. 5 LBS of Spree, yes you read that correctly, 5 pounds of Spree. My husband and I broke into it before dinner. (We probably need to schedule dental appointments and check into Spree-hab.) 

Wayne and I differ wildly in our political views but we love one another. We always respect one another and do not speak rudely or harshly to one another which does not seem to be the norm in today's culture. 

No one is perfect, we all fall short, but it hurts my heart to see Christians rudely and cruelly expressing their opinions for or against the President, for or against a topic appearing in the headlines. We are to be known by our love not our self-righteous angry defense of being pro-life or pro-choice, pro-death penalty or anti-death penalty, pro/anti (fill in the blank)________________.  At times the idea of being a hermit living off the grid has merit.

The Bible has much to say about the condition of our hearts and our words. Below are a few verses in the ESV:

Ps 34:13-14

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Eph 4:29 

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.

1 Pet 4:8

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins

Matt 7:2-4

For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?

So instead of being huffy and pointing out what is wrong or spending time rebutting posts on Facebook, why don't we pray for the Lord's will to be done? We must choose to remain focused on Him and not others and their faults. If social media brings out behaviour which is anything but Christ-like, take a break! Step away from your device and get some fresh air. Turn off the CNN/FOX/MSNBC and go outside and love your neighbor.