Have you ever met someone who is a fan of a certain sports team that can be difficult to get along with? It’s not just that they are a fan of a certain team, it is that they feel like they have to put down every other team. Or, have you ever been around a know-it-all, or someone who thought they were a know-it-all? How much do you enjoy being around them? My guess if probably not much. In today’s text we are going to see an example of this from a religious standpoint. 1 Samuel 2:17 says, “Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.”
The “young men” in this verse are the sons of the priest at that time. The priest’s name was Eli. He has two sons who served as priests with him, but as you can see from the text above, they were not a godly example. They corrupted the Old Testament sacrificial system so much that people didn’t want to be around them, and it turned them off to God and the things of God.
Brothers and sisters, we must be careful of the words that we say and the way we live. There is a world that is watching us. Honestly, some of them want to see Christians fail; not because they are against Christians per se, but when they see you and I fail, they allow themselves to feel better about their own sin. One area that I really see this is in the arena of social media. I have to be honest, sometimes I read what a brother or sister says on social media, and I don’t like them. In the day and age where everyone has an opinion, and feels like they have to share it, we need to remember that our calling as Christians is to influence people towards Christ, not away from Him. So before you post on social media ask yourself a few questions. First, is what I am about to post kind? Is what I’m about to post necessary? Just because the thought goes through our mind, doesn’t mean it needs to come out of our mouth or off of our fingers. Is this something that I should talk to the person about personally and privately? Again, not everything should be debated on social media. In fact, I would say that very little should be debated on social media. If it is a matter of a sin or a misunderstanding, you need to have an in person conversation or at a minimum, a conversation over the phone. Finally, ask yourself the question, is this going to encourage people? In a world of negativity, cynicism, and hostility, we need to encourage others. Just remember, people are watching and listening to us, and God has placed them in our path to point them to Him. Let’s get busy influencing the world for Jesus and pointing people to Him. Let’s make it to where when people want to criticize us, they have nothing they can grab ahold of.
By His grace and for His glory,
Pastor Justin