Hit Mute

In which I let others do the talking

Set a watch, O Lᴏʀᴅ, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips. (Psalm 141:3)

Man, I want to hit mute — on myself.

I’ve been snarking on the internet. The attempted shoot ‘em up at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has (re)opened the flood gates for blame, rationalization, anxiety… and I can’t deny that I’ve been surfing those waves.

I happened to catch a discussion between Van Jones and Haviv Rettig Gur on the fractures between traditionally allied Black and Jewish Americans. The whole hour is worth a listen, but Jones’ advice at the end (1:05:33) goes beyond those two groups and should speak to us all,

Your phone is not your friend. Your algorithm is explicitly designed to give you a very narrow view of the world… it is not trying to give you information, it is trying to give you endorphins. It’s trying to tickle your brain to stay on the app… no friend is that way. Your friend will tell you the truth when you don’t want to hear it… we have to talk to other human beings…

I need God to set a watch on my fingers hovering over the keyboard.

This doesn’t mean going mum and hiding out. It means, as Jones said, to talk to other human beings, but in the way that God has instructed,

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29)

We are in a dangerous time right now. The need is great for those who can speak grace, tell and hear truths we might not want, and build up others rather than accelerate the corruption that is swamping us.

I leave you with this bit of video (less than 4 minutes) which I first viewed when I was 17 and have not forgotten, even when failing to apply its wisdom,

I beseech you, in the bowels of Christ, think it possible you may be mistaken.