Facebook Fast--Part 5

A confession.  Well, a confession of sorts anyway.  A few of the websites that I visit often are linked to my Facebook account.  The other day I accidentally reactivated my Facebook account through one of them.  Now, I hadn't committed to any particular length of time off of Facebook.  I had only committed to following God's lead, one step at a time.  And while I hadn't yet felt led to go back on Facebook, once I realized my account had been inadvertently reactivated, I thought maybe now might be a good time to jump back in.  However, just seconds into staring at all the words & notifications on that screen, and I was full to the brim with anxiety.  I realized that I am not ready to re-enter that world yet.  Yeah, that's right.  Facebook makes me anxious.  One interaction at a time can be complicated enough, but several, possibly hundreds, at once can be overwhelming, especially if any of them have been a source of pain at one time or another.

"If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."  (Romans 12:18)  Now, I am not one to scoff at the wisdom of God, but sometimes when I hear that verse, I think, "Yeah, right!"  I am thankful that there is a disclaimer, of sorts, in there:  as far as it depends on you.  I would love peace with everyone, but I can't count on it.  "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against mother-in-law--a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'"  (Matthew 10:34-36)

Peace can be hard to find.  What is my part in finding peace with others?  This is perhaps a multifaceted answer, but ultimately lies in one word:  Love.

"One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating.  Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, 'Of all the commandments, which is the most important?'  'The most important one,' answered Jesus, 'is this:  Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this:  Love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no greater commandment than these.'"  Mark 12:28-31

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'  But I tell you:  Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous & the unrighteous."  Matthew 5:43-45

"A new command I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another."  John 13:34

"But I tell you who hear me:  Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you."  Luke 6:27-28

"Love must be sincere..."  Romans 12:9

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."  1 Peter 4:8

Yes, love.  Love is what we can do, for our part, to be at peace with everyone.  Love doesn't guarantee peace with everyone, but acting in love does allow us peace with ourselves.  "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."  1 John 4:7-8

How can I choose to interact with others?  Love.  How can I choose to view others?  Love.  How can I protect myself from negative feelings that threaten to take root?  Love.  How can I choose to forgive others when they hurt me?  Love.  How can I choose to respond to unkind words or actions?  Love.  How can I find myself forgiven for the mistakes & missteps I make?  Love.  God loved me so deeply that He died for me.  He loved us all that deeply.  God, may I be so awed by your love that it fills me to overflowing & flows freely from me to others.


"And this is my prayer:  that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ."
Philippians 1:9