It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. This is scary: You can tame a tiger, but you can’t tame a tongue—it’s never been done. The tongue runs wild, a wanton killer. James 3: 5-8 (The Message)
I think if you were to translate that today you could replace “tongue” with “fingers on a keyboard”. I have been reading blogs lately with scathing posts and comments about anything and everything and I have come to this conclusion: people are mean!It seems with the relative anonymity of the internet people aren’t afraid to write anything. Thoughts go completely from head to net with no restraint whatsoever. Things are written on the net that would NEVER be spoken of in public. Why? People have a greater level of tact when they are in public. Maybe they don’t want to hurt people’s feelings. Maybe they just don’t want to see it when it happens. Maybe they just don’t want someone boiling over with anger for fear of unrighteous indignation in the form of a swift kick in the pants. I don’t know. But for whatever reason, many people on the net are mean.
There is a different breed of reader/writers that I have come across that simple blow my mind though. I will call them “Little Hitler’s” for lack of a better term. They are the people that read a blog post or hop on a forum and without warrant or provocation slam a person or group or persons for no particular reason other than making someone feel stupid or foolish, or making themselves feel superior in some way. Little Hitler’s have the need to let you know that they are right and you are wrong. Little Hitler’s have the need to let you know that you are stupid and they are smart. Little Hitler’s have reached a level of enlightenment that few have and they can’t wait to share it with the world. When that world doesn’t line up with their particular viewpoint the verbal violence ensues.
Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats. James 3: 13-16 (The Message)
SO, if you happen across a Little Hitler, remember the words of Paul:
Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. “I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.” Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good. Romans 12: 17-21 (The Message)
