It is very important when doing a calculation in Mathematics or Science to arrive at the conclusion of any piece of work or equation, only after you have taken the time to calculate your way from the first line to the conclusion. That is normally the way things are done, and no student would be marked ‘up’ for jumping from the first line straight to the end. In fact it would be considered foolish because invariably the student would reach the wrong answer.
Why then, do we (and I include myself in this) persist in seeing a statement from a friend which may offend because of its source, and jumping to the most obvious, but perhaps wrong conclusion? In the past I have been caught out on social media when I shared something, but didn’t take care to notice where it came from. Fortunately, I have a loving family who saw it, and immediately told me what I had done and it was quickly removed. Of course it was an honest mistake, but my real concern was this: What would my family and friends think of me when they saw the abbreviations at the top of the post, and knew that they stood for a swearing phrase and against all that a Christian would stand for? As a Christian, it horrifies me that I might do the same thing again, and as a result I tend to look more carefully where a shared post comes from.
Normally, and in the vast majority of cases, there is nothing to offend or make me cringe when I read shared items. However, I am left with a dilemma when I see something from a Christian friend which is not in keeping with their faith or witness, and is obviously an oversight. Should I draw it to the person’s attention, or hope that someone else does? Or maybe leave well alone and try not to let it trouble me? In my own conclusion, I need to afford the same forgiving grace to others, that was afforded to me through Jesus.
