“I’m eight days sober from social media.”
I said it jokingly to my brother when he asked me if I’d seen a video he sent me on Facebook. I told him I hadn’t because I recently deleted social media from my phone. We laughed and then moved on.
But later, I realized that’s exactly what it felt like. When I took an honest internal inventory, I realized I had to delete it because it was doing something harmful to my body. It increased my anxiety, my frustration, my anger. It added a heaviness to my soul.
Consuming endless content – endless views, opinions, beliefs. Everyone speaking in ways as if what they have expressed is golden. Get on board, or you’re an idiot.
News of injustice and harm constantly flooding my nervous system.
And possibly most harmful: seeing so many people who claim the name of Jesus respond in ways that look nothing like Him.
So quick to judge rather than show compassion.
So quick to put someone “out” of said group rather than bring them in.
So quick to blame or shame – “in the name of Jesus.”
So quick to demean or reject.
All only causing more discord, dissension, and division.
But Jesus never did that. He never behaved in such a way.
He never sent them away.
He Moved Closer
All the people that society would cast out – the ones who, by religious expectation or law, “should” be condemned or denied – Jesus consistently said no to their exclusion.
Instead, He moved closer.
I believe saying: Come to Me. Sit with Me. Be with Me.
I’m here for you. I want you. I choose you.
Tax collectors. Lepers. Women. Adulterers. Foreigners.
And we need to be very careful – because the instinct to send them away didn’t only come from the religious upright.
In the Gospel of Luke, a man with leprosy came to Jesus. According to the Law, one was to touch nothing of human uncleanness, because doing so would make them unclean as well (Leviticus 5:3).
Jesus could have healed him with a simple word. But what did He do? He moved even closer. He put out His hand. He touched him. He healed him, saying, “I am willing” (Luke 5:13).
In the Gospel of John, a woman caught in adultery was presented to Jesus. According to another Law, she should have been stoned to death. The scribes and Pharisees were ready to honor that law – stones in hand.
But Jesus said no. Saying “He who is without sin cast the first stone… Has no one condemned you? Neither do I condemn you” (John 8:7-11).
In the Gospel of Matthew, it was the disciples who said “Send the multitudes away, that they may buy themselves food” (Matthew 14:15).
Jesus did not. He said, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat… and He commanded the multitude to sit down” (Matthew 14:16-19).
In the Gospel of Mark, again it was the disciples who rebuked those who brought children to Him to be healed.
Again, Jesus said no. When He saw that, “He was greatly displeased and said, ‘Let the little children come to Me’” (Mark 10:16).
In the Gospel of Matthew again, the disciples urged Jesus to deny a woman who wanted healing for her daughter, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us” (Matthew 15:23). This woman was a Canaanite – a religious outsider, considered an enemy of Israel.
Jesus again said no to exclusion. Instead, He stayed. He engaged. He healed her daughter and praised her, saying, “O woman, great is your faith” (Matthew 15:28)!
In the Gospel of John, the disciples were shocked to find Jesus talking to another woman. This woman was a Samaritan – despised by many Jews, considered dirty, half-breed outsiders. She also had multiple husbands. By every social, cultural, and religious boundary, Jesus definitely should not have been talking to her.
But there He was – alone, against all expectation, with an “unclean” woman – sitting, and talking. And said “If only you knew the gift God has for you… you would ask Me, and I would give you living water” (John 4:10).
The marginalized.
The rejected.
The “unclean.”
They said, “Send them away.”
Jesus never did.
He moved closer.
Always having compassion.
Saying: Sit with Me. Come to Me. Have faith in Me.
Belief Without Mercy
Notice something though.
Notice who it was that was turning these people away.
It wasn’t only the Pharisees.
It wasn’t only the religious elite.
It was also the disciples.
The ones considered “in” the group.
Jesus’ own followers.
That’s why the ache was so deep.
Because it’s easier to expect such a response from people who don’t know Jesus.
But when it comes from those who do?
When it comes from those who claim His name and yet are the loudest voices of division and condemnation?
“It’s the Left’s fault!”
“It’s the Right’s fault!”
“It’s his own fault he got murdered in the street!”
“It’s Bad Bunny’s fault!”
“You care too much about this!”
“You don’t care enough about that!”
“You’re wrong, I’m right!”
My chest tightens just writing that.
What are we doing!?
Belief in Jesus without any sign of grace or mercy is not what Jesus called us to.
Truth Without Love
The only group Jesus consistently spoke harshly to, and warned us about were religious leaders – who constantly tried to test Him, and weaponize Scripture all while completely missing its heart.
“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:11).
In just 23 verses, Jesus calls them hypocrites eight times, plus fools and blind guides. Why?
Mostly because they presented so righteously on the outside – they knew and followed all the laws.
But on the inside?
He said, “inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Matthew 23:28).
“For you pay tithe… and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith” (Matthew 23:23).
Justice.
Mercy.
Faith.
Be careful.
Although Jesus was speaking directly to the scribes and Pharisees, anyone can fall into this pride and self-righteousness – appearing good on the outside while ignoring what truly matters.
“You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me” (John 5:39).
Knowing the Scriptures and knowing Jesus are not one in the same.
Be careful that in your defense of Scripture, you don’t miss Jesus Himself.
Be careful that in your certainty, you don’t lose compassion.
Be careful that in your fight for “truth,” you don’t forget who Truth is – and that He consistently moved closer to, had mercy on, and loved the outsider.
“As far as the East is from the West” (Psalm 103:12).
“The love of Christ… it is too great to understand fully” (Ephesians 3:19).
Sobriety
Sober from the noise, debates, judgements, and self-righteousness all posing as great faith and devotion.
Sober from the Letter of the Law quoted without the Spirit of Jesus.
In the silence and stillness, I can see that one of the greatest harms in this life is when those who claim His name become the loudest voices of exclusion, judgment, and division.
I mean they do say “there’s no hate like Christian love.”
But following Jesus isn’t about being right, having all the answers, or getting people to agree with your side.
It’s about moving closer, offering mercy, and sitting with those the world would prefer to cast aside.
Because if we are not like Him in our love, all our “rightness” means nothing.
“If I understood all mysteries and all knowledge… but have not love, I am nothing.”
(1 Corinthians 13:2)
“On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets:
Love the Lord your God…
Love your neighbor.”
(Matthew 22-37-40)
Before we send anyone else away, lets ask:
Are we acting the way Jesus did?
Are we reflecting His love?
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