Month: April 2022

I don’t even use Twitter but have to admit that I’ve allowed myself to be distracted by the headlines about Twitter this week. As you all probably know, Elon Musk’s offer to buy Twitter was accepted. The deal probably won’t ultimately close for several months, but the announcement resulted in more headlines and emotional reactions (both happy and sad) than any other recent event. Why did this announcement elicit such a powerful response? I believe it boils down to a misplaced desire for freedom and control (or at least the illusion of freedom and control), as I’ll explain below.

Twitter has been described as the new town square where many people go for news. Some people enthusiastically support fresh voices being allowed on the platform while others are terrified, but my guess is that these reactions are all based on the same basic thing. Twitter = influence, influence = power, power = money, and many (most?) people believe that money = independence, freedom, and control.

Today, we’ll focus on debunking the false belief that influence and power can produce true freedom and control. That brings us to today’s verse, which is from Matthew 5:14-16:

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”.

I believe we can boil down today’s lesson to two concepts:

1. Each of us can influence those around us for Jesus by acting with humility and love in our hearts. This influence is far more powerful than any influence Twitter can produce, and
2. There is no such thing as true freedom without Jesus.

I’m writing this lesson for myself as much as anyone else because, like many people, the twitter drama has intrigued me. I have hoped for certain outcomes that would ultimately lead to something I thought might improve my life in some way. But I’ve had to continually remind myself that all good things in life come from God, and when we try to replace Him with worldly alternatives, we always fail.

I’m really trying to remind myself this week that Twitter and everything else in this world is temporary, but God is eternal.

[To keep the conversation focused on the core message of the lesson, try to avoid politically-charged comments as we go through the questions.]

Questions:

1. Were you intrigued by the Twitter news this week? If so, what intrigued you most?
2. Do you agree with the suggestion that the Twitter news was so big because people believe influence and power = freedom and control? Why or why not?
3. “True freedom” is mentioned above but it was not defined. How would you explain the concept of true freedom in Jesus?
4.  What does it mean for us to try to be the light of the world and a city on a hill? What is the goal?
5. What is one thing you can do this week to be a “city on a hill” for those around you?

The theme of today’s lesson is warmth. We typically think of warmth in favorable terms.

• If we say someone is a “warm” person, we mean they are nice, approachable, and empathetic.
• “Warming up” to an idea means we begin to like it more
• We associate warm temperatures with beaches and tropical places that are fun and relaxing
• And who doesn’t love to sit around a warm campfire with our favorite people

Today, we’ll focus on warm-hearted people and what makes them that way. We’ll start with our verse from 1 Peter 3:8, which says:

Finally, all of you have unity of mind with one another, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, a humble mind.

So, how does someone become more sympathetic, loving, tender, and humble? I would suggest that it requires real-life practice and experience. And when practice relates to sympathy, love, tenderness, and humility, it often involves our own pain, sorrow, and disappointment.

For example, if you experience a major career disruption, you’ll have a softer heart for others in that situation. Or if you lose a child or a spouse, you’ll become more empathetic and loving toward others who’ve endured the same.

Pain, sorrow, and disappointment in our lives are like friction in that they are uncomfortable irritants. But friction also creates warmth and, if we allow it to, can make us more warm-hearted. Should we view the frictions of life as unfair punishments? Or should we ask how God is using the friction in our life to mold us and help us become warmer people who are more useful to Him?

It’s up to each of us to decide how we will view the friction.

Questions:

1. Do you personally like the idea of becoming more warm-hearted? Why or why not?
2. Who is the most warm-hearted person you know? Do you admire them?
3. Do you agree with the idea that while the “friction” of life is painful, it is also helpful (in making us warmer people)?
4. Do you have any examples of how life’s friction made you more warm-hearted?
5. Are there other ways we can become more warm-hearted without having to directly experience pain, sorrow, and disappointment first-hand?