Social media can be like the dog that bites the hand that
feeds it. There is a young girl who used to live in our ward until they split
it. We are well acquainted with the family.
She happened to post a photo of her in a dress she wore to
prom. One would think that something this innocuous would not make the national
news. Lo and behold it did.
"When 42,000 people hate your prom dress."
We have become a nation and a world of people who take
offense at almost anything that does not agree with their thinking. The
blessing of instant communication that we now have has, as most things in life,
a positive, a neutral and a negative aspect.
When I was growing up what happened in the next state or
often in the next city did not come to our attention.
Now if someone has a bad day and posts it on social media
every one in the world with access to a smart phone or a computer will know and
can make a remark.
Many of these remarks may be appropriate, but the
opportunity is there for cyber bullying or inappropriate or hurtful
remarks.
The movie "Bambi" has a little rabbit named
Thumper who makes an inappropriate remark. His mother responded, "Thumper,
what did your father say?" Thumper responded, " If you can't say
something nice, don't say nothin’ at all."
We have freedom of speech and can express our opinion.
Christ admonished us to be careful about the words we use, because we will be
held accountable for every idle word. The Luther translation renders it
unnützlich or not useful. Most people do not realize that they will be held
accountable before the judgment bar of God for everything they say. That is a sobering thought!
We need to model our speech after that of our Heavenly
Father and his son Jesus. When we are in their presence we will be most
uncomfortable if we use inappropriate language and conversation.
As my parents would say,” Watch your language."
Grandpa reminds you to remember what Thumper's father told
him.
Love,
Grandpa
