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I am not a fan of Twitter.  Never understood the point of Instagram.  Even less with  Snapchat.

That puts me in the category of “social dinosaur” (and leaving aside the gadgets and social media – that description might well fit).

I look around and see all the heat from Donald Trump and his “twitter feed”.  See the infamous (now) 280 characters from the wise and wonderful.  See the amount of controversy it initiates.  See the spats and tit-for-tats it generates.  See “foreign (and domestic) policy” fired around like “pick and flick” nasal detritus, watch the veneration given to this “global spittoon” as another phlegm-ball splats-in uninvited.

If you can’t say anything kind, don’t say anything at all.

Might not have been perfect advice, but what remains true is “Think before you tweet speak”.

“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” Luke 12:2-4

I think the bible is of “this time” – and in only 250 characters (although we seem to be ahead of our time in proclaiming “from the virtual roofs”)!

In this – as in everything – we have a choice.  To look for sin or to look for love.  To look for notoriety or love.  To look for fame or love.  To be in love with our own image or to see love in everything and everyone.

“As Jesus went on his way, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” And their eyes were opened.” Matthew 9:27-31

I wonder what the biblical times would have been like with Twitter and Insta and even Snapchat.

There would have been the Roman presidential brain farts.  Provincial political bogeys flicked here and there.  Religious phlegm gobbed from head office and re-gobbed locally.  Maybe even Jesus firing off a 2.00am insight or five … and the dusty peeps obsessively following what was trending.

I have seen intimate relationships … close families … torn apart over something said (or unsaid) taken the wrong (or right) way.  Of hurts and wrongs nursed and nurtured over decades – and all without (and sometimes with) these instant sneezes.

The dusty peeps spent three years tramping around in the company of Jesus.  The gospel presents a summary of those three years.  There is enough there for any of us to take what we want. To convert a journey over biblical millennia (and beyond) into 280 characters of abuse or hate or sin or obligation or duty or disbelief or dismissal or …  anything we want to promote (and see trending five minutes later).

I happen to think there is a lifetime’s journey in that question: “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

Because my own lifetime-journey has found unconditional love to be the only constant –  no matter who what or where.

Do you believe I love you without condition or obligation or need even when you don’t love yourself – even when you don’t love me – even when you “hate” me … ?

Because unconditional love makes an instant my own eternity.  An eternity that is of this moment.  Right now.  Today.  Right here.  In the flesh and even in this global-always-on- instant-messaging-world.  Freely available for all.  No conditions required.  And all without any best before date – any sell by date – any use by date.

“Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

I believe.

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