A “tweet” from John Hus
I had an interesting email sent to me from CRI (Christian Research Institute) and it really made me think… I am sure it will bless all you Open Door Students as well!
With Twitter gaining so much popularity, the question begs to be asked: “What could you say in 140 characters that would be that important?”
You have probably never heard of John Hus. He lived 1373–1415, and was a priest from Bohemia who condemned abuses and immorality. For him Christ was the head of the church, not the pope, and the Bible was the supreme authority in the church. If the pope would not obey the Bible, Hus would not obey the pope — and for this he was excommunicated and branded a heretic. From his pulpit in the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague, he boldly spoke out against what held the Truth under siege in his day. And he paid for it with his very life!
What if I were a follower of John Hus on Twitter that fateful day, July 4th, 1415, when he appeared before a general council assembled at Constance in Germany to answer for the twenty-six heresies he was accused of?
What would have been his answer to the question, “What are you doing?”
Perhaps his Tweet that evening would have been something like, “It’s been a long day. After a thorough examination I was censured, delivered over to the secular powers, and sentenced to be burnt alive.” (What a powerful message in only 137 characters!)
Or, two days later, on July 6th, at his place of execution, when he falls to his knees and looks steadfastly toward heaven, he might Tweet, “I just prayed to Christ, that for the sake of the gospel I patiently undergo this ignominious death.” (A mere 100 characters!)
Furthermore, as they pile the logs at his feet and the Duke of Bavaria asks him once more to recant, Hus Tweets exactly 140 characters to say, “I just told my inquisitor I have never preached any doctrine of an evil tendency; and what I taught with my lips I now seal with my blood.”
Finally, Hus turns to his executioner, hands over his portable electronic device and asks him to do the favor of sending out one last Tweet before he is burned at the stake.
It reads: “I’ve committed my spirit to the Lord who hast redeemed me, My most good and faithful God!” In only 91 characters, Hus closes a life that would one day be recalled as one of the greatest examples of Christian faith ever recorded.
Whether we Tweet the mundane meanderings of a moment or voice the things of eternity, characters create words, and words are alive with meaning… Now, go serve your King!
