Just Dan Grant

I have learned one invaluable truth in my lifetime. I began to learn this truth when I was very young and very immature, then I continued to learn it when I was in college and moderately immature, and then this truth formed into completion when I became an adult and only slightly mature. This truth is simple, but profound.

My opinion is not as important as I think it is.

This past week, the world has spun one way, then the next, and most things that were normal became abnormal. Routine has dissolved and schedules have gone out the window. All in a week. Social media has become a mess. (I was looking for a more profound word than “mess”, but I really think that’s the best word for the job). People are posting and re-posting, sharing, commenting, and liking a whole slew of things and all the while civility has gone out the window. All over opinions.

By definition an opinion is “a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge”. And there have been a lot of opinions formed about what is going on in the world.

Let me explain. No, there is too much, let me sum up.

Is there a virus going around the world? You betcha. Is this some kind of government conspiracy or political agenda? Probably. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit. Are we terrible at washing our hands and keeping our sicknesses to ourselves? Obviously. Is it weird that West Virginia was the last one to get sick? Yep. I’ve been there. Doesn’t make sense. Is the news short on facts and long on hype? Apparently. I don’t watch much news so I wouldn’t know for sure.

Regardless of all these opinions, the one fact in all of this still remains – we are called to represent Christ in a lost and dying world – and challenging someone on social media because they have a different opinion seems to have the opposite effect.

Coronavirus may have exposed a few things in our society that need addressing – hand washing, hygiene, health and wellness, etc. But it has definitely exposed some heart issues that need immediate attention. Don’t even get me started on the toilet paper thing.

Our communication is a presentation of our walk and relationship with Christ. Paul, in Ephesians, charges us to “let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying.” In short, if you can’t say something nice – don’t speak. I have yet to see anyone “win” when they verbally duke it out on Social Media. Instead, we lose the opportunity to speak life and love into someone else’s life. And then there’s all of the other folks watching us go back and forth with a fellow Christian or human being. They get to form opinions of you and your opposite based off what they see on Social Media.

It’s kind of like a sneeze. Too soon? If you have ever seen a slow motion sneeze, it’s pretty epic. And gross, really gross. If you don’t cover that thing – keep it to yourself – there is no telling who it is going to affect. It goes everywhere. Social media is like that. More often than not, it’s best to leave things unsaid, because you can’t account for all the overspray.

You can even be 100% right about whatever it is that you are fighting for, but you are still fighting. And you may win, but in reality, you still lose.

So do yourself and the world a favor. Cover your cough – keep it to yourself, and cover your comment – keep that to yourself too. Let’s keep our relationships as healthy as possible. We may be the only Jesus people see. On Facebook of all places.

But that’s just my opinion.