Unlike Cynicism

As I've written in the past, I have sort of a love/hate relationship with social media. Facebook and Twitter specifically. I use both. Some might say that's hypocritical, but it is a love/hate.

The love side leans towards my output and some of what I believe is great, inspired, insightful input or direction. The hate side (gosh, hate seems pretty dramatic)—lets just say "not like" side, or "wonder why they say that" side—plays out in the seemingly monotonous moment-to-moment, "I am here", "I am there", "I did this", "I did that" update. But, who am I to play judge and jury. Simply because I find its use one way, and others another, why can I be such a cynic. Its only Facebook, Rick.

The reality is I can all to often be such a cynic. WAY too often.  Freedefinition.com hit my nail right on the head with its definition: "An attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others". Certainly there are beliefs formed within me, and general knowledge of my "friends" which can correctly provide perspective on some of this (posts) from which I form an opinion. But I know that I frequently have knee-jerk condemnation. 

Someone had driven me towards Isaiah 1:17 via a tweet. Conveniently enough, I hopped on my Bible app, scrolled on my touchpad to the verse and read it. (This is when I love the media and technology of it all*. Something sparked me, and within and instant, I am in.) As I scrolled further down to verse 18 it states "Come, let's consider your options," says the LORD. "Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow;"**. The concept of God coming alongside us and asking us to Consider Our Options is quite a thought.

We need to ensure we are considering our options and checking our attitude as stuff comes our way. Be it a status update, a child's request, a friend's comment, a neighbor's dog, a stranger's glance, a task ordered, etc.. 

Too often I am not. Too often I am the cynic. 

So if you are reading this blog, and have connected via Facebook or Twitter, please look beyond any hypocrisy you may feel, and understand that I am just a....well, a dude....trying to get better at being a husband, a dad, a friend, a counselor, a storyteller, a Child of God.



*Clearly there can be negatives to this sort of instant information, gratification, and reaction.

**Now, within Isaiah, this is not a kinder gentler God coming alongside someone. Moreover a life and death-weighing, mighty fear-inducing God. But for my purposes above, I have toned this down to something more attainable for the subject matter. Yet still retaining relevance as it was the source of inspiration.