We saw, yesterday, the surreal spectacle of the entire might of Boston Police Dept., hundreds of officers, hunting down Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, a lone 19 year old teenager, whose murders and maimings at the Marathon and later were unquestionably evil.
But I found myself thinking of a terrified fox, its heart bursting with exhaustion, followed by a hunt, tireless men on horses, with well rested dogs. Obviously, I didn’t want more murders, but with the human instinct to side with the underdog, I thought of his terror, felt sorry for him, and found myself praying for him.
My laptop was at hand, so I tweeted, “Let’s also pray for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, a misguided, terrified Chechen boy hunted by the entire might of the US!”
* * *
Oh my goodness! I was astonished by the reaction. I was characterized with filthy, filthy language I cannot bring myself to repeat; people hoped he would murder my family. People asked if I were crazy, suggested that I …oh incredible, abusive language. (Interestingly, apparently the abusive people weren’t even following me, but saw retweets).
Roy said it was if I lobbed a hand grenade into a mob, and just stood there. He said, “You must have expected it.”
I honestly did not. If anyone’s hung out a lot with Jesus and his words, there is nothing astonishing about praying for an individual hunted by hundreds. If this were a movie, presumably people would be crossing their fingers for him. It’s praying for our enemies; it’s what keeps us balanced and human and keeps our angry, limited hearts sane. Yes, praying for your enemies—it keeps you sane, and keeps your heart sweet.
I deleted the tweet within ten minutes, but it had been retweeted, and so I got some abuse for hours. Block. Block. Block. Delete. Delete. Delete.
* * *
What stuns me most is that I honestly did not see it coming. Would I have tweeted it if I did? Not directly, no. Who wants to expose yourself to upset? But if I felt Christ wanted me to say it, I would have tweeted a direct quote from his words. Hey, you said it first, Jesus. Let them take it up with you.
* * *
Instead I prayed a different prayer (privately this time!). Lord, give me wisdom in social media.
And mentally slowed down, imagined myself kneeling before Jesus, imagined his hands on my head, my brain, and particles of his divine power coursing from his hands through my head, through my brain, changing it.
And I got up smiling, knowing my prayer had been answered. I would be wise in social media. Which doesn’t mean that I would be immune to anger and hostility and negativity and criticism on social media (or life)–for who is? It just that I would use words not carelessly or foolishly, but with wisdom, reflection, and deliberation, as a power for good (and then, one can withstand negativity).
My prayer would be answered, instantly—or gradually. Though it might need to be prayed again. And again.
* * *
49 The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”
50 “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52 When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, “Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.”
53 Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, “Your son will live.” ” (John 4 49-53).
* * *
Taking Jesus at his word, the sublime simplicity of faith.
How easy it makes our spiritual lives. Ask and you shall receive. Ask, leave the package of desire in his hands, and go on your way.
For you have left it in very good hands. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” (I John 5: 14-15)
And so, in simple faith, I know I will be wiser in social media.
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And to comment on your Facebook comment…it wasn’t a thoughtless tweet at all…you were genuine and Christ-like in that moment and unfortunately you experienced a taste of Jesus’s experience listening to the angry mobs cry “crucify him!” All for your mimic of Jesus’ message of love, forgiveness and understanding. Bless you Anita for your courage and walk in Christ!
Anita, I’m so sorry this has happened to you, but knowing what happens on social media sometimes I guess it is hardly that surprising. But I also think it is very hard to predict exactly how people are going to react. And one can never tell who will retweet and who will pick that up.
” If anyone’s hung out a lot with Jesus and his words, there is nothing
astonishing about praying for an individual hunted by hundreds.” Just so. But it is then so easy to forget that many have never hung out with Jesus, or have done but not really taken his words to heart. It does worry me that it i likely that among those who gave you abuse there will be those who call themselves followers of Jesus, yet who fail to understand that his teaching applies *especially* when we feel raw from experiences such as this. And others will simply not have understood what you meant. Pray for the trolls too.
“Pray for the trolls too.” Ouch! I just retreated into a tortoise shell and took cover and did not do that. But will–for my own complete healing.
Yes, I should have clarified I was praying for God’s mercy and kindess, not that he could be safe to kill more Americans.
Tread very carefully in volatile times–that’s my 11th twitter commandment 🙂
I loved your tweet, it was exactly what I was thinking. That and “they’d better be right about their accusations”. The problem is, by making this manhunt so intense, so insane, they have tried and convicted him without a trial. I was appalled at a newscaster’s comment about why it was important to bring him in alive. “So we can get answers about why he and his brother set those bombs”. Not so that he can stand trial, not because he might be innocent and he deserves a chance to face his accusers in a fair and impartial court of law, etc. But because his presumed innocence prior to a trial is thrown right out the window and he’s already assumed guilty and we just need to find out why he did it.
I prayed for him too last night. I prayed that if he did this, that God might find a way into his troubled heart and forgiveness be offered through Jesus’ sacrifice for us. I prayed for the victims of the bombing and the family of that poor dear “kid” of 26 who was shot at MIT that their hearts would not turn black with hatred and they would find comfort and healing in God’s hands.
We must stand taller than those who hate and fear and loathe fellow humans for whatever reason. We must stand taller because Jesus told us that the ultimate command is to love without reservations or qualifications. We must stand taller because otherwise we join their ranks…Satan’s army of haters, fear-mongerers and loathers.
LA, Yes. You and I are kindred spirits in so many ways!
Social media definitely has a mob mentality about it and it so easily switches direction. I’m sorry that was directed at you, but you’re right, it’s a lesson – for all of us – to be careful what we say, how we say it. This perhaps is what Jesus was talking about in throwing our pearls before swine…
Absolutely, Lori. Some things we only learn by experience. If I had any inkling of the virulence of the reaction, I would have qualified my tweet. I was praying that God would be with him, would have mercy on him, would guide him as to the best thing to do in a terrible situation. I wasn’t blessing or approving his dreadful murders.
Yes… pearls before swine is so easy on twitter, with only 140 characters–so I often keep complex controversial thoughts to myself or my blog, not twitter. As I said, didn’t realize this simple prayer was controversial!
FYI, I felt the same way – I imagined him terrified, hurt, alone. It grieved me to think of what he was going through. That in NO way means I condone his behavior or think he shouldn’t face the consequences. But he is still a human being and there is always hope, as long as he is alive, that he will have a changed heart. I’m sorry Twitter was mean to you! 🙁 – Paulla
Exactly, Paulla. That’s exactly how I felt.
Was shaken, not grieved by Twitter. These weren’t my friends, weren’t even my followers!
I was also shaken at how I totally didn’t anticipate the reaction!
Thank for your kind words:-)
I lay in bed last night and had the same thought. I didn’t know how to pray for this young man who had done (or at least, we think he did) this desperately evil thing but to be hunted, lie bleeding, brother dead, hated by millions… it did cross my mind to feel sorry for him. I want justice to be done as much as the next person, but I know that God loves him as much as He loves me. I’m not sure how, but I do know that we should be praying for him and his family as well as everyone else touched by this nightmare. It’s a triumph for the devil if we don’t.
Thank you for this; I’m sorry you had such a hard time on social media.
“but to be hunted, lie bleeding, brother dead, hated by millions… I know that God loves him as much as He loves me. I do know that we should be praying for him.”
Exactly. I guess I am praying for him what I pray for myself several times a day sometimes, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on him, a sinner.”
Thanks Helen!
Wow, Anita. I feel the same as you about this whole situation and this young man who is the same age as my son, and I applaud you for fearlessly posting that tweet. The fact that people felt the need to respond so heartlessly and with such cruelty just makes me mad/sick and breaks my heart all at once. I’m also saddened and ashamed to read some of the Facebook posts of people I know and look up to, who say they are Christians, yet are saying things about this whole tragedy and about Dzhokhar that paint a very different and ugly picture. I’m reminded of what Ghandi once said:
“I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.”
I will be sharing your blog post about this. Thank you, Anita.
Thank you so much, Pamela. Yes, like you, I have teenagers–incl. an 18 year old daughter–and that probably gives us more empathy.
Hating just removes us from the light of Jesus, and harms us without helping anyone, but praying for him might introduce the light of Christ into the whole situation. Thank you so much for your kindness!
Really appreciate this – so easy to tweet without thinking things through. Great to be reminded of how God hears us too. I find it difficult to know what is me and what is God, and where to voice the journey of working those things out.
I guess we only learn what is us and what is God by trial and error. Everyone–St. Francis, included–makes mistakes in hearing God’s voice, and knowing if it was truly God. We keep learning what God’s voice truly sounds like through practice–and, sadly, being human can get it wrong at any stage of our journey (though, hopefully, less frequently as time progresses!)