Should we say something?

I’ll be the first person to admit there are lots of things I don’t understand in Scripture. Or maybe a better way of putting it is there are lots of things I don’t yet know from Scripture. My husband proves this to me almost daily. His knowledge of the Scriptures so far surpasses mine that it often amazes me.

I love to sit and listen to him talk about Scripture.

There is very little I find as enjoyable as being able to hear him talk about Scripture. I love to do Bible study with him for that very reason.

In my extended family I am now considered the person to go to when someone has a question about Scripture. It’s commonly understood that I will know the answer. Even if I don’t. I understand that reasoning because I feel the same way about my husband. I must admit to being a bit surprised the first time he told me he didn’t know the answer to some question about Scripture. I simply wasn’t used to him not knowing.

The problem…for me…with my family looking to me for Scriptural answers is that they don’t see Scripture the same way I do. And that can…and does…pose problems. I had to tell my sister not all that long ago that I would try and help her with a bulletin for her ‘church’ building but that I may not be able to do it because the very nature of what she was asking me to make went against how I see Scripture and how I believe.

But she was my sister and she needed my help.

The best I could do was a basic invitation to their services. It wasn’t what my sister wanted. She wanted something saying how much God loves everyone and when they’re feeling alone all they have to do is believe. Then she wanted the sinner’s prayer.

And I couldn’t do any of that.

In the end we were both satisfied, if not happy, with the bulletin I was able to make for her. She got what she needed even if it didn’t say what she wanted it to and I was able to help her.

I recently found myself in the same spot but for a different reason. Someone was telling me about how her preacher came to see her and her new baby in the hospital. How that preacher had prayed over the baby.

Now don’t get me wrong, I think all of that is great. The fact that he went to the hospital showed he cared about the people he’s supposed to be serving. And prayer is always a good thing. What I found I had trouble with was the way this woman talked about it. Like her baby had been blessed because this preacher came and prayed over it.

And I found myself wondering when it’s better to just keep quiet…which is my standard response to situations like that…and when it’s best to speak up. I’ve found myself wondering the same thing on social media here lately. There’s someone that’s very big into the name it and claim it type belief that is friends with me online. I used to mostly just ignore the posts from this person but here lately I’ve found myself wondering if I’m failing as a true follower of Christ if I just ignore those situations.

I don’t want to speak up and I sure don’t want to be drawn into some kind of online debate but…is there a point when we really should say something?

The person I’m friends with online that posts all the name it and claim it type of posts is someone I don’t know. I’ve never spoken to this person in real life or online. We’re simply friends because we had a number of common friends. I know nothing about this person except that she seems to believe strongly in what she believes and that she not only seems to take comfort in what she’s posting but from the nature of some of her posts I get the impression she truly believes she can bless other people by posting things online, things that include prayers with requests for blessings for the person reading them.

For the most part I have no problem not saying anything, not responding, to those posts. I’m glad that she seems to find comfort in something. But then I wonder where does my place as a Christian come in? Even then I am able to leave her with her beliefs and not get involved. I have enough posts online that if she looks at what I’ve posted she will see a different side of things. Whether or not she believes it is in the Lord’s hands.

But what about family? I have family members that profess a belief in Christ that have no idea what I believe. Those are the people that truly leave me wondering when it’s time to say something and when it’s time to keep quiet. I do not think that those family members would believe any differently if I shared my beliefs with them but who am I to know that?

When is it time to share those beliefs? And when is it best to keep quiet?