Dave’s Monday Blast – January 20, 2020

We have been chatting about the challenges of social media; the navigation of the fast-moving waters of our times. Should Christ followers be a part of the online conversations? As tempting as it is for some to completely avoid the social media realm, like it or not, I believe we must engage in ways that match our spheres of influence.

Last week we saw how in 1 Timothy the Apostle Paul challenged Timothy to point the conversations to Jesus and not join in the idle talk and disputes of his culture. He also directed Timothy to be an example and to fight the good fight. Timothy was not supposed to isolate himself, but to be part of the conversation, standing firm in his identity in Jesus. If Timothy had an Instagram, he would have been vocal and clear about where he stood, in both words and images.

So it begs the question…where would he have stood on the issues of his day. In 1 Timothy 2:1 – 7 we are taught what our attitude toward the influencers of our culture must be: to care above all for their salvation. For God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (v. 4).  At the time of Paul and Timothy, those in political power were often authoritarian and oppressive, yet Paul taught Timothy to pray for them and to seek “a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” I don’t think this meant ignoring or not caring about the socio-political issues of the day, but Paul did seem to point to a set of priorities, or maybe a different strategy for change. A Kingdom strategy!

While human strategy uses politics and influence to bring change, the Kingdom of God brings change by the transformation only the Gospel can produce in us. Paul focused on Jesus’ sacrificial ransom and the resulting peace with God (vs. 5 & 6). His concern was that this would be accessible to all people. He knew this would bring a deep and long-term change that neither political debate or activism could.

We must be concerned with principles not policy, in the sense that our loyalty lies with Jesus and the character and principles we find in Him, rather than to a particular party or program. So I think Paul would urge Timothy to engage in social media and use it as our platform to care for all people, to pray for all, and to make the Gospel message accessible to all. May our loyalty stand with Jesus and our strategy be that of the Gospel of reconciliation.