One word at a time

I recently re-downloaded Twitter in an effort to be more connected to the world, and today I was reminded of why I had deleted it in the first place:

My Twitter feed makes me sad.

It’s hard to put into words exactly why that is, but I think it has something to do with the sheer volume of tweets that appear within a span of five minutes. You can scroll for half an hour and literally never reach a place devoid of new tweets. They’re constantly flowing, and all mixed up in a confusing jumble.

Within a minute I scrolled through a plethora of tweets including shocking human trafficking statistics, bigoted speech (from both sides of the political spectrum), quotes by famous actors that we’ll all have forgotten by tomorrow, and an atheist’s resounding declaration that we are all merely products of random chance.

Some of these things were at best thought-provoking; most, I found, were discouraging and unproductive. Discouraging because edifying words seemed so few and far between; unproductive because in the midst of such chaos I tend to shut down. I closed the Twitter app, feeling distinctly less contented than I had before and yet marginally more apathetic.

No one, it seemed, was listening; they were all just shouting words into a circular room from all different angles. Some of these words were related to each other, but most of the time it appeared accidental—and when it wasn’t accidental, it was because someone has started an argument.

Even as I write this I sense a residual sadness. And I need to do something about it. What are we to do in this world of urgency that demands our voices yet so often gives nothing in return? How can we make meaning out of all this noise?

Sometimes I think it would be better for us all if things like Twitter never existed. If all the conversations we had with each other were in-person and real and uncomfortable and insightful. But I realize that not only is that an impossible request, it also denies the amazing opportunities that social media give us to build each other up–and that’s where it starts. With individuals resolving to use their power for good.

It may not be much, but if I want to see the world change I have to be willing to change myself, to rise above, one word at a time. So, moving forward, these are my resolutions:

I resolve to say what I know and seek to understand that which I do not.

To be able to explain why I believe what I believe, but more importantly, to live out those beliefs with conviction and integrity.

To take opposition as a challenge to give others grace.

To believe in the basic goodness of other people.

To reserve judgement and reject cynicism. To recognize the power of my words, and refuse to use that power against anyone.

To listen more, talk less. To connect with people whose experiences are vastly different from my own. To prioritize justice over loyalty to any cause.

To speak the truth fearlessly, with love. To walk humbly in the light of my God, remembering that He desires for all of us to know Him.

To never give up on on faith, on truth, on conversation. Ever.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” -Galatians 6:9