There's a quote by The Minimalists that says, "Love people, use things. The opposite never works." What's one things that happens when we use people and love things? Cancel Culture.
In order to set the proper stage for this post, I need to break down two things. The first is cancel culture. The second is grace.
What is cancel culture??
Urban Dictionary defines cancel culture as a modern internet phenomenon where a person is ejected from influence or fame by questionable actions. This typically happens to celebrities, influencers, or anyone with a large following, who says or do something viewed as problematic or insensitive, in the eyes of their main audience.
For example, R&B singer, Chrisette Michele was a victim of cancel culture after performing at the 2017 Presidential Inagural Ball. She received much backlash from the Black community, for not falling in line with many other celebrities, who refused to associate themselves with Trump's presidency in any way.
As a result, fans have turned away from her and her music. It's a decision she is still facing criticism for even today.
Cancel culture gives power to the netizens. It puts a gavel in their hands, allowing them to judge what is forgivable behavior and what it not. If your behavior is unforgivable, cancel culture says, pack your bags! Your career is over!
Except when it doesn't. Because opinions are not always unanimous.
Even when it seems the entire internet has banned together in collective disaproval, there is someone who is "riding and dying" in support of their fave. Or someone simply willing to give the benefit of the doubt in spite of wrongdoing.
What is grace??
There are many ways to define grace. The most applicable one here is as follows:
"Disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency."
In Christiandom, we believe that grace is, "the opposite of karma, which is all about getting what you deserve. Grace is getting what you don't deserve."
Romans 11: 6 reads: "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace." (ESV).
What does this mean?? We cannot earn God's love or favor with actions.
There are a multitude of scriptures I could quote to further express my point; the bottom line is we are saved by grace. Without grace Christianity could not exist. Therefore, we should give the same grace to others, as God gives us.
Think about the most unforgivable thing you've ever said or done, about or to a fellow human being. Did you ask for forgiveness? Did the person forgive you?
Regardless of your answer, God forgave you. God still loves you when you deserve it the least. That is the most powerful expression of God's love, which we have accesss through to Jesus Christ.
The problem is that we often put other people on a pedistal, and create impossibly high expectations that they cannot fulfill, forgetting that they are just human. We all are just human!
Regardless of grammy awards, box office numbers, and millions of followers, we are all just human. The moment that we judge others for their mistakes, whether grand or miniscule, we erase their humanity.
But in the era of social media, where perfection is glorified, almost no one is allowed to be human. Entire platforms and businesses have been bred of judging humans beings, being human.
We are loving things i.e. the internet, for bringing us entertainment.
We are using people i.e. "celebrities," for a fake life we may or may not dream of.
And the moment these people make a mistake, we throw them away! It's unrealistic and unfair! People are not disposable.
Why is it so easy for us to rank the mistakes of others!?
"On a scale of Kevin Hart to R. Kelly..."
It even took some level of judgment for me to write that incomplete sentence.
But the truth is, all sins are equivalent in God's eyes. And it's so easy to say..
