A Modern Reminder of an Age-Old Practice

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“This is my son. He is a funny boy, as you can see. My family and I worship the Lord every day, in prayer, music, and singing. I teach my kids how important Israel is to the Lord, and how important it is for us as children of God to support Israel in prayer and financially. You are all a blessing to me and my family.”

Social Media at Its Best

Social media has a bad name. It can divide, incite hate, and lead to the dehumanization of people we disagree with.

But this week I saw the good it can bring.

A gentleman named Johnny recently sent us a photo of his son surrounded by the Fellowship materials that his family uses during their devotion time. Johnny wrote:

“This is my son. He is a funny boy, as you can see. My family and I worship the Lord every day, in prayer, music, and singing. I teach my kids how important Israel is to the Lord, and how important it is for us as children of God to support Israel in prayer and financially. You are all a blessing to me and my family.”

Public Authenticity

I spend my time at The Fellowship writing about our programs and our products, but the thing I love most is interacting with our donors. So it was refreshing to get an authentic glimpse of a family’s devotion time - a time that is precious to Christian parents, or parents of any faith tradition. I love it when someone writes to us and tells us how our work impacts them. It’s a testament to the continued successful work and mission of The Fellowship - to educate Christians about the Jewish roots of their faith.

The message from Johnny also reminded me that scriptures and faith traditions have been passed down through the millennia by people. Before the age of the internet, people gathered together in person to tell biblical stories and communicate truths about God that they wanted to pass down to future generations. In this instance, social media reminded us of this ancient practice instead of distracting us from it.

To People Through People

King David writes in the Psalms: “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations!” (Psalm 145:13). But earlier in the psalm, David actually answers how God’s kingdom will endure: “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4).

It is easy to become focused on all the lies, half-truths, and incendiary commentary we see in the world - chatter that is amplified through social media. But the truth is still spread, and lasting change is still made, the old fashioned way: one person at a time. Whether we are speaking to a crowd of thousands or dozens, to a disgruntled coworker, or even our children, speaking truth in a loving and compassionate way is the only way to change someone’s heart - and change the world.

The Fellowship has changed a lot since its founding in 1983, but we are still fulfilling the original calling that guides us: to promote dialogue, respect, and cooperation between Christians and Jews. I’m thankful that Johnny and his family are part of this amazing process.

- by Jonathan Goldthwaite, The Fellowship's social media specialist

IFCJ News

“This is my son. He is a funny boy, as you can see. My family and I worship the Lord every day, in prayer, music, and singing. I teach my kids how important Israel is to the Lord, and how important it is for us as children of God to support Israel in prayer and financially. You are all a blessing to me and my family.”

 

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