One of the benefits believers get from the cross is a deep satisfaction and security found in knowing that because Jesus died for us, we are important and significant no matter what our opinions and mistakes may be..
So if the cross brings us this, why do so many people -- even Christians -- still fight and troll online as if their reputation depended on it? An online troll is someone who abusively seeks to devalue or deface others online in the hopes of increasing their perceived value. The irony behind this is no one loves an online troll and no one definitely deems their ideas or opinions valuable.
I'd like to believe that God has no intention of turning people into online trolls. If you're a Christian and you think that God wants you devaluing and defacing others, I don't think you truly understand the love and grace of God. It doesn't matter if they are atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, Anglicans, Calvinists or Cessasionists, God did not order or command you to troll them.
Proverbs 19:10 actually tells us, "Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues." At the heart of online trolling is a vacuum in our heart that we think can only be filled by proving that we are right and that everyone else is wrong because if we don't, we won't matter.
God says it differently. Jesus and His finished work prove that you matter to Him regardless of whether your opinion is right or wrong. You don't need the approval of a bunch of people you barely know online to increase your self-worth. God has already increased your self-worth exponentially and infinitely when He exchanged your brokenness for the wholeness of Christ.
Ephesians 4:15 tells us, "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." It's not that we should let the truth go unchecked, but the truth of Christ never imposes itself on anyone, thus we are not to force it down anyone's throats either.
Because of the fullness of God's love for us that we receive through Jesus Christ, we can now act in love toward others whether they agree with us online or not. Jesus did command us after all, as an outflow of His grace and the outpouring of His Holy Ghost upon us, to love your neighbour as yourself even if their posts go against your views.
Jesus Christ didn't hate you when you sinned against Him, but loved you still to the point of dying on the cross for you. I'm pretty sure we can love others despite their posts on social media.
