Be Wise in How You Share Your Opinion

Over the last few weeks, in fact, since the New Year has started, it really has hit home to me how many people have opinions about anything and everything. Added to that, as we all know, what follows are the many opinions about those opinions. Of course, social media does not help either.

So why has it grabbed my attention now? Thank you for asking, and I am more than happy to share my opinion about the opinion of others, as I am sure you are also happy to share your opinion about my opinion about the opinion of others.

If you need to sit down now, then feel free…my head hurts.

“Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.” (Proverbs 18:2)

The ongoing obsession with any story about Donald Trump, Meghan and Harry, or Novak Djokovic is what started it all for me. It seemed to me that everyone everywhere had an opinion and apparently knew the truth, or their version of the truth and felt the need to share it with the world. Of course, the change in how we communicate with each other, especially through social media, has put all these opinions on hyperdrive. I have become convinced that very few people know what they are talking about.

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19)

In addition to this, I think we can all be overwhelmed by the devastation that the bushfires in LA have caused. Some of the images that have been shared have been simply heartbreaking. However, it soon became clear that everyone had an opinion about the reasons behind the cause of the fires and, more importantly, who was to blame. For me, there was a point where it all became quite overwhelming.

But what has grabbed my attention is how we treat the opinions of others with the same grace that we desire them to extend to us.

The comment made by Johann Bengel many years ago is often missing, especially when it comes to how we as Christians share our own opinions. He said, “Apply yourself wholly to the Scriptures, and apply the Scriptures wholly to yourself.”

“Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarrelling over disputable matters.” (Romans 14:1)

So, while I too might have a range of opinions about many things, I also need to learn how to share them with others who often can think differently. This is so important as a new year begins. As Mark Twain said, “Most people are bothered by those passages of Scripture they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are those I do understand.”

By Rev. Ian Barnett (Acting Senior Minister)