Dancing is one of the oldest human activities.And there is certainly nothing new about people communicating with each other. Social media and social dance are alike in other ways. Here are four:

• Personal relationships and interaction are integral.

• Participants congregate around shared experiences.

• It takes time to become competent.

• There are leaders and followers.

There is one glaring difference though. Everyone could dance, but doesn’t. Put me in this group.

It simply doesn’t matter what the benefits of dancing are, we’re just not going to put in the time and effort. Slow dancing with my bride or a wedding waltz, the occasional exceptions.

On the other hand, being online is quickly becoming indispensable to communication, to business, to ministry and many areas of life. 66% of online Americans use social networking sites and the number is rapidly growing. 43% visit multiple times each day, according to Experian Simmons stats.

It’s OK to just watch people dance. I find flamenco very entertaining. There’s nothing lost by sitting it out. Staying on the sidelines as the online social gathering gains momentum may turn out to be a colossal miss.

This is THE Big Dance, friends.

Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.
2 Corinthians 2:14

Why would we want to miss out on bringing the gospel to the largest social gathering of people the world has ever seen?

So you think you can’t dance? Yes, “We” can. You won’t be alone. No one will notice, at least for now, what skills we have or don’t have. We’re all learning, with God’s help, how to move online together.

Social Media is like dancing, awkward at first but after some practice, your dance moves will become as natural as walking.

Let Jesus take the lead!

Question: What other similarities can you think of between social media and social dance?

Have you ever noticed how often David refers to his enemies in the book of Psalms? A lot. In fact the words “enemy” and ”enemies” are used over 90 times in the book. There are numerous other references to foes, conspirators, and the hands of wicked men.

Dealing with adversaries is a dominant theme in the Psalms.

Goes with the territory

Sometimes when David talked about his enemies he was referring to Saul’s army that relentlessly pursued him prior to his becoming king.

Other times he may have been alluding to his military adversaries since he often led Israel into battle.  But many of the references to enemies referred to the citizens in his own kingdom who opposed him.

David was the most successful and revered of all Israel’s kings but even the most effective leaders are second-guessed and criticized.

Moses had Jannes and Jambres who opposed him (2 Tim 3:8).  Paul had Alexander who did him much harm (2 Tim. 4:14), and Jesus had the Pharisees who were always looking for a reason to accuse him. (Luke 6:7)

“The ability to endure criticism” is a part of the job description for every potential leader because the more influential the role, the more intense the opposition will be.

The wounds

It seemed like nothing David did was right.  He wrote, “When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn; when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me.  Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards” (verses 10-12).  Like a modern day president who is the brunt of brutal jokes and unreasonable accusations from people who don’t have a clue, David lived with daily contempt and ridicule.

In Psalm 69 David confessed to feeling overwhelmed by the vicious attacks. “I am worn out calling for help…Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause” (verses 3-4).

Some experienced leaders insist that criticism doesn’t bother them but David confessed that, just as a battering ram weakens the gate a little with each crushing blow, criticism weakens the energy level of even the most seasoned leaders.

The antidotes

In his prayer David asked for a faithful testimony.  “May those who hope in you not be disgraced….may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me” (verse 6).

He expressed appreciation that God understood.  “You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you.  Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none” (verses 19-20).

David learned it was lonely at the top but was thankful God understood him.

He prayed God would avenge his enemies.  “May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.  Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them…Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation.  May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous” (verse 23-27).

I heard my friend Wayne Smith say, “I know God says not to hate anyone but if that rule ever changes, I’ve got my guy picked out!”

David’s enemies galled him but instead of trying to personally get even (and he could have) he turned them over to the Lord—and then gave some suggestions about what the Lord could do to them!

He concluded by praising God for His goodness.  “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving” (verse 30).

One of the best antidotes for dealing with enemies is to count our blessings.  Praise helps keep the big picture and reminds us that God determines the future…not our foes.

Triumph over your enemies

President Ronald Reagan was often the victim of brutal attacks but remained upbeat and positive about the country and his role in it.  He once said, “We’ve seen the American Spirit triumph too often in our lives to stop believing in it now.”

As Christian leaders we’ve seen the Spirit of God triumph too often in our world to stop believing in Him now—regardless of what our enemies might say or do.
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Bob Russell retired from his position as the senior minister of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky where he served for 40 years. During his tenure, Southeast grew to become one of the ten largest churches in America. Russell is nationally known and respected for his clear, biblical preaching. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including When God Builds a Church and When God Answers Prayer.

Sermons from Bob Russell’s preaching archives are broadcast every week on the SermonCast Channel.

Over the past 7 years, General Mills® has given away children’s books inside specially marked boxes of Cheerios®. One of those booklets is titled, “Everybody Needs a Rock.”

The book’s hollow premise is that all children should carefully choose a rock to carry around with them as a source of friendship and meaning.

They explain: “This story shows us that joy is abundant in the quiet and beauty of nature.” Every person does need a rock—a solid foundation upon which to build a life.  But…

that base is not a literal rock or a deeper appreciation of nature.  In fact the Bible warns against worshiping and serving created things rather than the Creator (Romans 1:25).

The rock we really need is God Himself.

The Psalmist wrote, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand” (Psalm 40:1-2).

The rock upon which we are to build our lives is living.  Why put your confidence in an inanimate, unresponsive stone when the living, eternal Creator offers to assist you?  He is able to wait, turn, hear, and lift us up.

This rock is capable of saving.

“He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and the mire.”  Only God loved you enough to die in your place so that you could be lifted out of the foul sewer of this sinful world.

In the story, “Everybody Needs a Rock” the children are advised to “keep your rock for as long as you can—maybe forever.”  When we make the Lord the rock of our salvation He keeps us forever.  What a positive difference!

This rock is dependable.

“He gave me a firm place to stand.”  We can know assuredly who we are—not an evolutionary accident but a divine creation.  We can know where we are going—not to extinction in the ground but to eternal life in heaven.  We can be confident of why we exist—not to be self-indulgent but to glorify God and influence others.

This rock brings joy.

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God” (verse 3).  “May all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, ‘The LORD be exalted!’” (verse 16).  Abundant joy is not found by putting a pebble in your pocket but by inviting Jesus to abide in your heart every day.

This rock is true.

“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods” (verse 4).  How imprudent to encourage children to focus on a powerless stone!   How much wiser it would be to teach, “On Christ, the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand.”

This rock is filled with wonder.

“Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done.  The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare” (verse 5).  A lifeless stone doesn’t have much of a resume but God’s impressive accomplishments are too numerous to list!

This rock needs to be shared.

In the children’s story, “Everybody Needs a Rock” the author writes, “If somebody says, ‘What’s so special about that rock?’ don’t even tell them.  I don’t.  Nobody is supposed to know what’s special about another person’s rock.”

Just the opposite is true for those who discover the solid rock of Jesus Christ.  The Psalmist wrote, “I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.  I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.  I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly” (verses 9-10).

General Mills® is to be commended for its effort to encourage children from poverty-stricken homes to read.

But the sad truth is that if someone provided a book of spiritual substance to be distributed to children it would meet certain rejection.  Such is the nature of our fallen world.  But those who put their trust in Jesus Christ always meet certain acceptance.

Such is the nature of our faithful God.

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Bob Russell retired from his position as the senior minister of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky where he served for 40 years. During his tenure, Southeast grew to become one of the ten largest churches in America. Russell is nationally known and respected for his clear, biblical preaching. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including When God Builds a Church and When God Answers Prayer.

Sermons from Bob Russell’s preaching archives are broadcast every week on the SermonCast Channel.