A year or two ago, I began a Facebook group for alumni of my college alma mater. I'm glad for the way it has grown, now well over a thousand members, and a couple more administrators have been added to help manage the group. There is a goal now to reach 3,000 members by July. A lofty goal, but certainly one that is attainable in this technologically saavy world.
Since I attended a Christian college, we have tried to maintain a clean community designed specifically for reconnection and fellowship of lifelong friendships that were forged through the college years. Not long ago, I had to do my administrative duty and set the membership to administration approval only. We had been spammed and it was not a pretty sight.
All was well until a controversial opinion was opened in a discussion forum. Anytime there are opinions, there is potential for hurt feelings. Anytime there are opinions, there is potential for argument and heated discussions.
The administrators exchanged e-mails about how to handle the situation. We did not want to censure anyone's opinions, but at the same time, we wanted to promote fellowship and friends reconnecting instead of potentially divisive issues being promoted in a heated exchange. There is a time and place to work out differences and we felt that was not the appropriate place.
As I was sharing this with my wife, we wondered how God must feel when He sees the way we handle our differences of opinions. He created us to have fellowship with Him. He created us to enjoy this Earth He provided. Have you ever wanted to just take Eve and Adam behind the woodshed a time or three?
Sin has caused problems for the entire human race for centuries. It will continue to cause problems for the duration of the human race as we know it on this Earth. Worst of all, sin has caused an eternal separation from God. But because of God's love for us, He has provided a way to be reconciled back to a relationship with Him. There is only one way and it must be on His terms. After all, He created us; not the other way around.
God sent His son, Jesus, to Earth for the express purpose of living a sinless human life while still God, and becoming a sacrifice for our sin. He accomplished that, and when we place our complete faith and trust in Him and His sacrifice, living to honor Him, we can know beyond doubt that we will live with God for eternity.
While on earth, we will not be free from sin's difficulty. There will continue to be pain and suffering because of sin. But the payment for the ultimate sin debt has been paid. We can accept that payment as our own.
What does all this have to do with a Facebook group page? The discussion of our group members occasionally go away from the true purpose of why the group was created. The fellowship sometimes turns south. As the 'creator' of the group, that disappoints me.
How much more does our wayward actions disappoint the Creator? Yet, He is gracious enough to make a way back to Him. Have you accepted His grace and making your effort to live for Him? If you have, thank Him for His grace today. If you haven't, please send me a message and let me share with you some more about how you, too, can obtain His grace for eternity.
No comments:
Post a Comment