#imagebearers

Geico and Trolls

The Geico HOA commercial you see on TV? #Truth. So very, very, VERY true.

Husband and I have had a few “violations” with our HOA. Most of them, while frustrating, we have fixed and then moved on with life. Our most recent ‘infraction’ however had this girl up in arms and super steamed. 

Three months ago, upon receiving our “in violation” letter, I promptly sat down at the computer and began pounding out a letter to the board. Not kidding, I was POUNDING the keys enough that hubby tentatively asked if he could please read said email before I sent it. He was concerned my pounding would end with us on the street. 

Interestingly enough, however, what I meant to have come out didn’t come out…and yet it did. Let me explain. 

I wanted to eviscerate the offended through my letter. But what ended up coming out was a letter that was respectful, yet very much to the point. Only one sentence that ended up getting deleted came out a bit sarcastic and snarky. To be honest, this surprised me. I thought it would need a lot more editing.  

I partly thought it would need more editing because it wasn’t me personally they were attacking. They were attacking my husband. And that ladies and gents, gets my hackles up faster than anything else possibly could. Both hubs and I have noticed that we get far more angry/irritated/frustrated/defensive when it is our spouse who is being attacked as opposed to ourselves. 

The other reason my level of restraint surprised me was I was beyond hoppin’ mad. I was beyond angry. I was FUMING!!!!!

Now I don’t say talk about my restraint to pat myself on the back. I say this because I am grateful to have been raised in a way that shows respect to other human beings. No matter how much I disagree with them, no matter how much they may or may not be in the wrong, no matter much I want someone to hurt, I was taught to respect God’s image-bearers. 

I also had a very strong sense that the Spirit was more at the keys than I was that day. There were many times I sensed I wasn’t in control of how the wording was formed. It came out in a way that was more respectful and it got the point across better than how I originally intended it to sound. Thank you, God for your Spirit’s direction – especially as I don’t always heed it!

The whole reason I was recently thinking about something that happened over 3 months ago, is because the closer we get to the election, the more we all are seeing an increasing amount of disrespect among so many in the way they treat (aka troll) others online. Trolling really comes out to play with no filter especially when we are talking politics. 

I am weary of politics. Not politics in the sense of fighting for what is right. Politics in the sense that EVERYTHING becomes political and you must choose one side or the other. Politics in the sense that nice, normal, sane, respectful people suddenly turn beastly on-line. Somehow online behavior is allowed to be separate from in-person behavior. 

The way those who claim Christ while writing mean, disrespectful and downright cruel posts on-line at times floors me. You don’t have to like someone. You don’t have to agree with someone. You don’t even have to respect them. But whether we like it or not, everyone is created in God’s image…yes even the person in politics you despise. Even if there is nothing else to like, this fact demands that level of respect that doesn’t disregard His image. 

Please know I am not talking about speaking out against evil, bad policies or bad politics. We are also called by Christ to call evil out as He often did with the Pharisees or Paul did with the Galatians. But there is a vast difference between calling someone to the carpet and throwing them under it. That was the Pharisee's response to Jesus after He called them out on their wrongs. Christ demands better than name-calling, back-stabbing and pettiness all in the name of politics.