Do digital prophets cry?

It’s never been easier to step into the role of a would-be prophet, to stand in the long line of men and women over the ages called to “speak truth to power.” Social media has amplified the ability to speak out on any number of issues—to expose the hidden corners of injustice, to rail against the abuses of the strong against the weak, and to point out the flaws in institutions and the people who lead them.

Much of this prophetic sensibility is good. As a result of people expressing critique or concern, we’ve seen institutions and individuals move toward health. We’ve seen rot exposed and expunged. We’ve seen repentance and restitution. The ability of more people to speak out can lead to greater awareness and accountability in the church.

Heartless Prophet

But there’s always the danger of having a prophetic voice without a prophet’s heart.

When this happens, we sound less and less like Jeremiah, passing on the Lord’s command through tears (“Return, you faithless children!”) alongside the corresponding promise of mercy (“I will heal your unfaithfulness,” Jer. 3:22). Instead, we look more like Jonah—happy to rail against the culture and the coming destruction of our enemies, only to pout at the thought of God actually redeeming anyone (Jonah 4:1–3). “Jonah enjoyed preaching wrath,” Tim Keller comments. “He did it with glee, not tears because he couldn’t wait for God’s hammer to fall on them.”

Prophet’s Heart

The prophetic impulse is an important one. Andy Crouch points out one of the central purposes of the Old Testament prophet—to unveil the true nature of power. Idolatry and injustice often grow unnoticed in people's hearts, insidiously creeping under the cloak of righteousness and justice. We’re least likely to see these sins in ourselves when we're most gripped by idolatry and injustice. Our good intentions blind us, and our self-righteous self-analysis brings about some form of justification.

The prophetic word, however, can cut through this fog of idolatry by boldly proclaiming the truth of God in a way that upends and exposes falsehoods and counterfeits. The prophet is a gift to the faith community, a source of edification in the truth. But the apostle Paul reminds us we’re nothing if we speak truth, even brutal truths, without love (1 Cor. 13:2).

Tearless Prophet

Having a prophetic voice without a prophet’s heart leads us to ground our righteousness in the stances we take, regardless of whether or not we feel compassion or love toward the people who most need the truth. Crouch recalls the example of Daniel, who relayed God’s message of judgment when interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Daniel didn’t savour the thought of this unjust king receiving his comeuppance but instead expressed hope that the dream wouldn’t be fulfilled (Dan. 4).

As our hearts grow cynical and cold, we no longer desire the good of the people who deserve critique; we delight in their destruction. We’re more like Jonah than Jeremiah, complaining about God’s long-lasting compassion toward the undeserving. Weeping at the thought of God’s judgment seems soft and silly. And so the tenor of our online discourse reveals a heart inclined to revel in the “Woes” that thunder from our accounts while dismissing the blessing Jesus gives those who mourn the injustice and sin of the world (Matt. 5:4).

“The truth is that there are such things as Christian tears,” wrote John Stott, “and too few of us ever weep them.” We see this in Jesus, whose harsh words for the leaders in Jerusalem led to his weeping over the impenitent city (Luke 19:41–44). We see this in the psalmist, whose cries for justice are mixed with his “streams of tears” because people fail to keep God’s law (Ps. 119:136). This is what we see in the apostle Paul, who stood unbending against false teaching while weeping over the many enemies of the cross of Christ (Phil. 3:18–19).

Prophetic Impulse as a Game

In today’s era, with the algorithms and platforms that lend themselves to outrage and attention, the prophetic impulse can lead us to a place of perpetual and unending critique. We fail to recognize the difference between the typical flaws and failures of overall good leaders who steward their authority well and the egregious sins and injustices that require a forceful and unequivocal response. Everything receives the same level of outrage.

When this happens, we walk the road of cynicism, no longer trusting that power can be appropriately stewarded by anyone (except for those with the gift of the prophet!). We’re no longer for the people or the institutions we hope to hold accountable. Instead, it’s all a game where we “one-up” each other online, excited when we’re able to “ratio” those we criticize or stir up a mob against whatever we perceive as “problematic.” We win the game when we rack up “points” as we “score” against the opposing side. We show contempt and call it candour.

Heart of Jesus in a World of Would-Be Prophets

We should be slow to step into the prophet's shoes to avoid the temptation of grandiosity and the insidious “rewards” that come to the prophet who performs well on the social media stage. Being provocative doesn’t make you a prophet. True prophets do more than condemn and confront; they also bring comfort and hope (Ezra 5:1).

When we speak truth to power and call out injustice in the church and the world, we should ask faithful friends to speak truth to our own hearts to ensure we don’t adopt the prophetic voice without the prophet’s heart.