My blogging friend, Debra, penned the following thoughts which I heartily agree with. What do you think? It's a thought-provoking subject! Check out Debra's other "posts" at: http://www.debrasotherthoughts.blogspot.com
Debra writes:
"I've read a few blog posts written by Christians which say we should be able to write anything and everything in our blogs that rattles around in our heads. That, after all, it's our blog and a blog is rather like a diary and in a diary, one lets it all hang out. Well, uh, no. For me, that does not ring true on many levels. For one, your diary hidden under your mattress is your diary hidden under your mattress. But a publicly-shared blog is a publicly-shared blog.
People are involved...souls are involved...Words.... The Bible has tons to say about the power of our words. Remember how in driver's ed. we were taught that a car is a weapon? Well, just as a car is a weapon and can be used for great things or harmful ones, so can our words. After all, the power of life and death is in our tongues...the words we share......and..."Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him." Proverbs 29:20
Speaking in haste, to me, can mean sharing my words before putting them through any kind of a filter for those who are listening to (or reading) my words.A filter like this:"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea." Matthew 18:6
That is one filter which causes me to ask myself: Will my words create doubt in a new Christian's mind? Will my depressing words remove hope from someone who needs it desperately? Will this gossip poison someone's mind? Will my complaining cause others to be dissatisfied with their own lives? ..and on and on...I could never tell everyone to say whatever they want to in their publicly-shared blog. Not in a million years. That would be like telling people that God thinks it's just fine and dandy to say out loud anything that pops into our heads.And I cannot believe that."***"For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." ... Matthew 12:37
Amen to that one! It is so important to speak words of life to build up, challenge, and even rebuke - but all in love. "Be careful little tongue what you say" is not just a cute kids song. Once said, or posted, our words are like toothpaste squeezed out of the tube. It's pretty hard to put back! God bless you
ReplyDeleteyou've been blogging up a storm David! i've enjoyed catching up (you know, this work business for old ladies really does get in the way of reading and writing blogs!) ...
ReplyDeletei enjoy Debra's writing too ... she gets us all thinking, doesn't she?
and the "passport" pic of you is sweet! :o)
Lord bless you as you continue to blog for God's glory!
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Debra. I have been impressed with the honesty of Christians in the blogsphere. There are many sites that are poorly written, and some with bad ideas, but in my opinion, it is much better for bad ideas to be expressed in order to be challenged. In effect, Debra is telling everyone she doesn't agree with to shut up. I went to her site and posted this same comment, but she deleted it.
There is a lot of phoniness within Christianity. I wish the people in our Churches were as transparent as the Christians in the Websphere. We can only begin to address bad thinking after it surfaces. If bad thinking is only bouncing around in the heads of Christians, leaders and teachers may not know the real problems or how to address them.