Oxford University Press just announced its 2025 Word of the Year.  Rage bait.  I know it is two words, but it has only one meaning.  Rage bait is defined as “online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive.”

One only has to scroll through social media before one realizes that rage baiting is the sport du jour in the virtual world.

Sadly, Oxford’s data suggests that this practice has tripled in the past year.  One author observed that “the internet can sometimes feel like it’s poking your soul with a stick.”  After all, outrage gets clicks.  While the Left seems to have mastered the concept of rage baiting, I have seen the Right use it as well.

Watch any news outlet, such as Fox, MSNBC, CNN, and you will not have to wait long before you see the baiting of rage in progress.  

For anyone seeking to advance truth, renew culture, and transform lives, rage baiting is an unworthy tactic that poisons any atmosphere of dialogue or debate.  When a culture abandons truth in favor of bad ideas, the consequences produce victims.  Half-truths, exaggerated claims, and outright false accusations are the weapons of darkness.

As a Christian, I pray that my response to such demonic acts is one of grace. Anger must be resisted. It only results in swallowing the bait! St. Paul reminds us, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.” (Phil 4:8).

I suggest that as we “dwell on these things,” we will not only avoid taking the bait but also find a loving way to respond to our friends and neighbors with grace.  For God is Love and love overcomes evil.  

I decided to write this post mostly for myself, as a reminder not to be caught up in the worldly ways of twisting truth to serve one’s goals.  Truth can be told without being toxic.  I pray I can speak and live truth in such a way that, far from being toxic, it creates a thirst and hunger for the One who is the Truth.

Then, maybe I will only be guilty of peace-baiting.