Here’s a dictionary definition of the word ‘Careless’:
not giving sufficient attention or thought to avoiding harm or errors.
“She had been careless and had left the window unlocked.”
synonyms: inattentive, incautious, negligent, absentminded, remiss;
“he admitted to careless driving.”
not concerned or worried about.
“he was careless about his own safety.”
I want to add a few more definitions of my own, ‘Careless’: “The state of being so concerned with making yourself seem to be more important or witty than you really are that you are willing to throw another person’s feelings, reputation and heart under a bus.”
“To care less about the victims left behind in the carnage of your sarcastic jokes, memes, and mocking attitudes.”
Proverbs 18:21 – “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
A spirit of division cloaks itself under the guise of wit and humour, and this spirit has infiltrated churches, not just social media networks. This careless humour is often marked by cheap witticism that relies on mocking other cultures, ethnicities, genders, denominations, political spheres, or anything else that makes someone different from another. It has successfully taken over Social Media, online magazines, and news agencies, including so-called Christian commentary sites.
While the powers-that-be push for radical political correctness, the world continues to become a harsh, judgmental, and bullying place. The enemy gains a firm foothold by energizing broken people in darkened rooms hiding behind the anonymity of computer screens. The reactions of their fellow wounded and broken peers fuels their false sense of importance and acceptance, creating a whirlwind of sarcasm, cruelty, and gossip.
I hate to burst your bubble but mockery is not a Fruit of the Spirit. Proverbs 26:18-19 – “Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death is the man who deceives his neighbour and says, “I am only joking!”
Personal Application
We must fight back as believers by responding in the opposite spirit of cruelty: love. Keep Philippians 4:8 as a safeguard over your heart. Memorize those verses if need be, especially if you have lapsed into the habit of using sarcasm daily. Keep them before your eyes. Engrave them on your heart.
Philippians 4:8-9 –“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
I also invite you to meditate on the entire chapter of James 3.. James was warning about the power of the tongue in this passage, However, in today’s world of text, email, and social media interaction, we can still easily apply his advice today.
Every word you type, every Social Media post you make, every Meme you create or share has the power to release grace, love, and hope to the world. However, they also carry the power to bring division, heartbreak and woundedness.
Choose you this day what power you will release.
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Until Next Week,
©2021 Katherine Walden