Read Time: 4 min 22 sec | Reading Level: 7th Grade

WORLD

Zuckerbergs Censored

Everyone’s talking about free speech.

The debate started up again when the founder of the messaging app Telegram was arrested in Paris on Saturday. His name’s Pavel Durov, and they call him “the Mark Zuckerberg of Russia.” His app is known for its privacy, so it’s loved by people whose governments won’t let them communicate freely. And also by… criminals.

French authorities arrested Durov because of crimes happening on Telegram. They think the platform isn’t doing enough to stop things like human trafficking and fraud. Durov’s defenders say his only crime is enabling free speech.

The arrest shocked the tech industry. Executives had assumed that they wouldn’t be punished for the activity of their platforms’ users.

Then, on Monday, the real Mark Zuckerberg wrote a letter to Congress. He said the Biden administration “repeatedly pressured” Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) to censor content about COVID. In response, the White House said it was just trying “to protect public health and safety.”

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ABOVE ALL, LOVE
When free speech is in the headlines, it’s a good time to do a pulse check of how we’re using our own speech and influence. 

“Remind them to submit to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to slander no one, to avoid fighting, and to be kind, always showing gentleness to all people.”
Titus‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ (‭CSB‬‬) (read full passage)

What might my kids misunderstand about this story?
Not everything that’s legal is good. 

There are plenty of ways for us to express ourselves (whether online or IRL) that are perfectly legal… but not pleasing to God. Paul writes that not everything that’s “permissible” is “beneficial” (1 Corinthians 6:12) and that the goal of our speech is to build others up (Ephesians 4:29).

While the courts settle what the law says about free speech, remember that the high bar the Lord sets for believers is to use every word that comes from our mouths to bless others.

What gospel lesson can be taught through this story?
This story raises the question of accountability. Who should be held responsible (and punished) when someone does wrong?

The scandal of the gospel is that Jesus volunteers to take responsibility for our sins. Isaiah marvels at this mystery hundreds of years before Jesus accomplished it: “Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains… He was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds” (Isaiah 53:4-5 CSB).

When someone wrongs you, offer them kindness (AKA grace), knowing that God is radically generous towards you when you sin.

• Next time you find yourself complaining or mulling over something that frustrates you, stop and sing your favorite worship song. You might feel silly, but you’ll train your brain and tongue to dwell on what is good and praiseworthy.

• Memorize Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (CSB).

• Confess your sins, thank God for his generous forgiveness, and ask for help offering the same generosity to others when they wrong you.

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What We’re Downloading
Forward Edge’s prayer guide*

When was the last time you didn’t know where your meal would come from? Parents like Walter are praying for God to miraculously meet their hungry family’s needs every single day.

His story is told in a new prayer guide from Forward Edge, an organization that provides Christ-centered, holistic care for families trapped in poverty. The guide encourages kids to turn to God as they face challenging circumstances and provides practical suggestions for how to put your faith into action. 

Download Forward Edge’s prayer guide to disciple your kids from fear to faith.

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