If Jesus had a hashtag

Today’s world is filled with social media status updates, memes, and…of course…hashtags.

There are hashtags for everything from animals, politicians, breaking news, to faith.

But, I wonder if Jesus had a Twitter or Instagram account, what his hashtag would be.

Let’s start with what it would NOT be:

#Disrespect:

I saw a news story today about the graduates at the University of Notre Dame walking out of their graduation when Vice-President Mike Pence got up to speak. Now, regardless of your political viewpoint, we must understand these actions are unacceptable to God.

“Let every person be subordinate to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been established by God. Therefore, whoever resists authority opposes what God has appointed, and those who oppose it will bring judgment upon themselves.” (Romans 13: 1-2)

Wow…bringing judgment upon themselves for being insubordinate or disrespectful to authority - such as the vice-president. That’s what those graduates did when they walked out.

Did you notice it does not say you have to like or agree with that person in authority, it says you must be subordinate because God has placed them in that position. God has allowed them to have that authority, so we are to submit to their authority and pray for their success.

So, Jesus would probably follow this Bible verse on his Twitter with #obey or #obedience. Or, even yet, he could actually use #BeHumble.

The next hashtag he would not use:

#BLM or #BlackLivesMatter:

This is not a hashtag I could see Jesus using. Now, before you get offended or upset because of your political views, let’s remember #BLM or #BlackLivesMatter is more divisive than it is bringing unity. Jesus did not work to bring division. Despite him acknowledging that those who followed Him would, as a result, cause division in their homes, etc. Jesus did not promote things that would intentionally cause people to hate each other.

He died on the cross for everyone. Not just for white people, black people, Asians, or for police officers or military service members. He didn’t die just for women, or men, or Democrats or Republicans, conservatives or liberals. He died for everyone.

So, instead of using those hashtags, Jesus would likely use the hashtag #YouMatter.

At the end of the day, it’s not about which people group matters. It is about the fact that YOU matter enough for Jesus to die on the cross for you. When we use the hashtag #YouMatter, we take the focus off of us and place it on those around us. We begin to love others like Christ loved us, because we begin to look at them instead of looking in the mirror.

We are the body of Christ. As Christians, we are the whole body with many different parts (Eph. 4:16). What happens when one of your organs or body parts begins to fight against the others? The whole body dies. When your brain begins to fight against your heart or your lungs, then your whole body suffers. We must understand when we bring division, when we speak things that are hurtful, offensive, or insensitive, and divisive, we hurt not just us – not just the person we are speaking to – but the whole body of Christ suffers.

#YouMatter encourages everyone to look at those around them, love them, forgive them, encourage them, and build them up. Even when Jesus was beaten and stood before Pilate, he didn’t speak out and defend himself, he didn’t turn and try to walk out because he didn’t like what was happening, he stood and stayed silent, because he was obedient to the Father and the Father’s Will….not his own.

Though this is just speculation of course, because Jesus doesn’t need Twitter or Instagram…he has already sent his message….and it’s more than 140 characters.

We might do well to read it and allow our hashtags to reflect what’s inside His message. Not only that, allow our hashtags to be a reflection of our life and our life a reflection of Jesus.