I see them on church signs, occasionally on billboards, frequently on Facebook: those sometimes clever sayings meant to point out that Christians are right and the rest of the world is wrong. 

I have to admit that I have often enjoyed seeing these posts. I generally agree with them, and sometimes they are quite amusing.

In recent years, however, many of them have started to bother me, particularly as I see responses of hurt and anger from non-Christians. 

Now, I’m not talking about posting Bible verses or thoughts that are intended to uplift and encourage fellow believers. I’m talking about posts that seem to exist for the sole purpose of making a jab at the enemy, scoring points for God and righteousness.

The enemy. That’s the problem, isn’t it? The jab isn’t at Satan; it’s at other human beings.

“But of course they’re the enemy. They’re attacking us, attacking everything we believe in! Naturally, we want to score points against them.”

Ever hear of Paul? Up until the moment when God suddenly stopped him on the road, he was all about persecuting and even killing the followers of Jesus. Talk about an enemy! When instructed to go help Paul, Ananias argues with God, though he does obey (see Acts chapter 9 for the full story). Paul turns from his persecution of Christians to one of the best known New Testament followers of Christ and the author of much of the New Testament. 

We cannot know who among our apparent human enemies may someday repent. We cannot know who will eventually hear God’s call and join our family. 

We live in a deeply divided society. Christian beliefs and values are under attack from many sides. In the United States, the Bill of Rights still protects us from most forms of real persecution such as Christians in some other parts of the world experience, but we can still feel hurt by ridicule and hatred. It is only natural to want to strike back. 

Only natural. Only human. But God didn’t call us to be natural or human. 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5:43-48 ESV

This is a tall order. We are not perfect, and we won’t be perfect on this side of heaven. However, we are inhabited by a perfect Holy Spirit who can love our enemies, who does love our enemies just as much as he loves us. With his help, we can choose to show love, to give our defense of our beliefs with the “gentleness and respect” that Peter calls for (1 Peter 3:15).

We should make the choice to share truth in love, gently and respectfully. Then we will see results far greater than any we will find by sharing truth in ways that are just intended to prove that we’re right, or even to wound non-believers. Being right doesn’t always equate with righteousness.

And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace .

James 3:18 ESV

Image by Ray Shrewsberry from Pixabay