Communication

An Expensive Joke

by Adekunle Lawal
04/17/14
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An Expensive Joke

It was reported on nbcnews.com on April 14, 2014, that a teenager of 14 years old, from Rotterdam, Netherland, sent a threatening tweet to American Airlines. Teenager Arrested For Threatening Tweet To American Airlines.

According to the news report, the girl called herself “Ibrahim from Afghanistan”, and threatened that she was going to do something really big on June 1^st.  When the American Airlines officials received the tweet, they replied back immediately, and stated that they were going to report the matter and send the girl’s details to security and FBI. The girl quickly tweeted back that she was only joking, and she was just a kid. The damage had already been done.

The girl accompanied with her mother, reported herself at a police station in Rotterdam. Though there was no any charge brought against her by the time this report was posted; the Dutch police claimed that they would like to carry out investigations on the matter.

There are some lessons to learn from this report.

Firstly, we should be very careful of what we say to people in our immediate surroundings, in larger public, or on the internet. When you release statements publicly, you don’t have control over them anymore. The girl claimed that she was joking, but for American Airlines officials, that was an expensive joke; and it was treated as such.

The Lord Jesus Christ even warns us to be careful of making idle talks, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12: 36 KJV).

Secondly, we must bear in mind that we are responsible for our actions. We should always think of consequences of our actions before we carry them out. Jesus Christ warns again, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12: 37 KJV).

Thirdly, we should try as much as possible to always speak the truth. The girl called herself “Ibrahim,” that was not true according to her statement. Telling truth makes us free. Our words should be seasoned with truth and trust. The Lord Jesus Christ confirms this, “But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil” (Matthew 5: 37 KJV).   

If we take these Biblical counsels seriously, we will not be partakers of unnecessary self-inflicted punishments.