Why don’t you go online and become an influencer who gets people to love each other? 

My wife asked me that question as we were talking about the tragic fire that destroyed part of the Beth Israel Synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi. This heinous act, while still under investigation, seems to point to something that has become a major issue in our world: young people, seemingly young men, becoming radicalized online.  Young people, following various influencers, who steer them into paths that can become destructive and dangerous to themselves, to others, and now it seems to even the greater bonds of our society. 

This dynamic seems to transcend politics, but has deep echoes in other “otherings.”  A line in the sand between “us” and “them.”  So much of it, if not born in hatred, leads to hatred. It’s a story we are seeing again, and again, and again. And this hatred leads to violence that has resulted in so much loss of life, from politicians to Charlie Kirk to even the way we speak to each other in our daily lives.

These influencers, untethered from actual community and accountability, are reaching people looking for belonging and community, only to ultimately lead to the exact opposite: hatred and destruction.  

So, thus my wife asked, “Why don’t you go online and become an influencer who gets people to love each other?” I chuckled when she said that and said, “First, I do try to reach people with a message of love through online posts, sermons, and other things.” Second, I hope I’m exerting some influence in the life of my community at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church. And last, and seemingly most important, hate gets more clicks than love.  Studies show that anger or “rage bait” drives more engagement online than positive, hopeful stories. We seem to be awash in rage and anger, hatred and division, and it’s feeding a monster all around that plays itself out in our politics, our religion, our social media, and everything.  

It seems as though there is nothing we can do.  It seems overwhelming. It seems everywhere. It’s so easy to give in to it. So tempting. It makes me think of the conversation between Yoda and Luke in The Empire Strikes Back:

Yoda: Yes, run! Yes, a Jedi’s strength flows from the Force. But beware of the dark side. Anger, fear, aggression; the dark side of the Force are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan’s apprentice.

Luke: Vader… Is the dark side stronger?

Yoda: No, no, no. Quicker, easier, more seductive.

I think that’s why hatred gets more clicks than love. It “feels” right. I’ll confess that when I first saw the news about Beth Israel, I got angry. I wanted to lash out. When I watch the news and see everything happening all over the world, I get angry. When I see so many things I don’t like, I get angry. I want to rage and yell and just be so MAD with everything.  That’s how I feel. That’s what I want to do. I want to burn. 

I assume I’m not the only one.  All the rage, it will consume. It will destroy. It will leave only ashes and smouldering ruins, much like at Beth Israel. 

It cannot build. It cannot build. It cannot build. 

Rage cannot build. Hatred cannot build.  Division cannot build. These things can destroy. But they cannot build. 

Only love can build.  Only love can restore. Only love can give hope.  

And love is hard, y’all. It’s just hard. It’s hard to love people.  I think of the words of one of my favorite Christian songwriters, Rich Mullins: 

Lord, it’s hard to turn the other cheek;
Hard to bless when others curse you 
Oh Lord, it’s hard to be a man of peace 
Lord, it’s hard, oh it’s hard, 
You know it’s hard to be like Jesus
Don’t you know it’s hard, oh it’s hard,
Oh Lord, it’s hard to be like Jesus

I said early this week on social media that hatred is the greatest heresy facing the church. We can baptize hatred.  They aren’t like me. They believe differently, worship differently, look differently, vote differently, and have things that are different from me. They are wrong. So, they are not part of the true church, or are not right. It’s easy to hate others who are “wrong” under the guise of politics, ethnicity, or religion.  This way of thinking seems so common now, among politicians, influencers, and even some who call themselves Christian.  

Orthodoxy is correct doctrine.  It can best be defined and understood through the classic creeds of the church, The Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed. This orthodox theology should produce within us increased love and devotion to Jesus. This is called orthopraxy or right living.  

One of the clearest tests of our orthodoxy is does it produce orthodoxy. Does what we believe produce right living?  Well, that then asks the question, what is right living?  I believe our Lord tells us plainly in Matthew 22:37-40, in what is called the Great Commandment: 

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  ’This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Any form of doctrine that produces hatred within us is not orthodox Christian doctrine.  My friends, hatred is not the way of Christ. Let me say it again, and with my whole chest.  Hatred, of any form, is heresy and is not the way of Christ.  It contradicts the clear, orthodox teachings of the whole of Scripture. 

I can give you verse after verse.  Love.  Love.  Love. This is the way of Jesus.  

St. Justin Martyr was one of the early Church Fathers, and he told us the difference Christ makes in our lives: “We used to hate and destroy one another and refused to associate with people of another race or country. Now, because of Christ, we live familiarly with such people and pray for our enemies.”  

This is our call, fellow followers of Christ.  We know the way. We know the command. We know the path. No matter what influencers, social media, culture, or anyone tells us is the path we are to walk.  We know which path is right.  We know.  There are times when we don’t know what is right or wrong. But there are times, there are real times, when we do know.  

And we know this. Hatred is heresy. It is not the way of Christ. We cannot walk it. No matter if every voice in all of culture tells us to rage and hate and burn. It is not the way of Christ.  And we cannot walk that path. 

The age of influencers will pass. I believe that. We don’t need rage bait that burns our souls. We need community, the church, the sacraments, that rebuilds what sin has destroyed. We need grace. We need love. We need Jesus.  

I don’t know if I’ll be an influencer. But I know that I’ll yell love from the top of my lungs until I draw my last breath. As the old hymn, “There is a Fountain,” says: 

E’er since by faith I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die:
And shall be till I die,
And shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme,
And shall be till I die.

I’ll shout love as long as I can. Will you join me?