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Never did I think that I would be writing another post on the Miley Cyrus debacle. But I am finding that today I must share what is on my heart. I realize that this will not be a popular or well liked or well received post and so I apologize in advance. And to my children, I apologize if this ever puts you in the awkward position of having to try and explain your mother 🙂 I cannot even explain myself at times, lol.

So here I go….

Yesterday an entertainer released an open letter addressed to Miley. It was shared in my twitter feed by someone I follow. I read it. Now don’t get me wrong, I fully agree with what was written. It is the manner in which it was written that I am having the struggle. But I let it go yesterday. Today I found it was being shared in my Facebook. And my heart just broke.

We seriously need to think about the things we share. We truly do not need to share everything that we read and may agree. Surely there had to be another way that the same opinions could have been shared. But let me tell you what I found in this article:

  • sexual statements and innuendos
  • crudeness
  • four letter swear words were used 7 times
  • five of those times were the F-bomb

Let me take you back to a day I was in middle school. I can still see myself sitting in Mr. Levine’s social studies class. I can still see the girl in front of me, the girl behind me. I can well remember what was taking place, when in anger, I turned around  and said something to the girl behind me and used the F-bomb myself. The silence that fell was most awkward as the horror set in. My horror. I never in my entire life felt so ugly. So dirty. How I made it through that last period of the day, I will never know. But I do know this – I cried bitter tears well into the night.

And I vowed to myself that I would never use that kind of language again.

But this is not meant to be about me. It is about all of us.

Once we share something on social media, it is there. We are saying something or perhaps I should say, revealing an aspect about ourselves to everyone. Our character is on display. At times, it may even be a lack of character that we display.

But here’s the thing ….. we are women and men; wives; husbands; parents; leaders; friends; pastors; ministry leaders; Sunday School teachers.

Our influence has been given to us by God. May we see it as such. Use it as such. And most of all, protect it as such.

If you are a parent, go back and look at that article again. Would you truly want your children to read it and know that you shared it publicly? Would you approve of your children talking to others using those words? She even states, “….your body is for you and your boyfriend.” Is that the moral standard you want for your daughters?

May we think about the words we use and the words we share. James put it this way…..

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. (James 3: 7-12, NLT)

Oh Miley, who would have thought that you would have taught us so much about ourselves? May we use our influence wisely and remember that our faith is on display at all times.