I repent.
I’ve spent too much time working on this blog. Sure it’s fun and I’m making new friends. But enough is enough. I've let my affections become inordinate.
I want to keep my little desires for blogging in right order with my biggest desire to glorify and enjoy God. So here are 5 questions I’ve been asking myself. I'm praying that these will help you too.
Before your next post ask yourself . . .
- Do you bath your blogging in prayer? None of us would presume to preach or teach without asking the Lord’s blessing. The same should be true of our blogging. Do you pray that God will use what you’ve written to show his glory and be helpful in people’s lives?
- Is your blogging a clear expression of love for neighbors? For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14 ESV) Is this true when your blogging? Are you consciously loving your readers when your write? Do write about others in a way that demonstrates love?
- Do you intentionally write words that will encourage and build up other believers? Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29 ESV) Most blogs don't strike me as encouraging, neither do most of my posts. But this is never optional. Do you aim to build others up when you blog?
- Do you follow after sensational topics to build readership? But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. (Titus 3:9 ESV) I’ve fallen into this trap. If you watch your stats then you know that people like junk. Does this drive your blog?
- Does you blogging keep you from serving others? For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Galatians 5:13 ESV) God designed your liberty in Christ for the service of others. How does your blogging track with that? Could you be helping more around the house? Does your two hours at the keyboard keep you from serving others or sharing Christ?
6 comments:
good words. definitely something I can apply.
Thanks for the good questions about blogging.
I'm thankful for the new site and for the opportunity to see what my fellow Southern students are thinking about.
Trevin Wax
Kingdom People
Thanks for the encouragement. I was just talking to a friend about your site(s). Keep up the good work.
Great thoughts Tony. Convicting thoughts, great to think about.
May God give us wisdom, grace, and humility in our blog endeavors.
Tony, you are totally right. I have been pondering this lately (in my blog, even). That's why I don't want to put a blog-meter on my blog so I don't read how many hits I have because I know my inclination to the sin of pride! It is a stronghold for me -- I know it!
Timmy,
Humility is definitely from God. I think all of us preparing for the ministry are struggling to speak the truth with confidence while remembering that we're the clay pots.
Gretchen,
Counters are useful and addictive and meaningless in so many ways. We use one here to monitor out clicks, referrals, and site usage. But I think the whole team wants to be faithful first - and then popular only if we are serving others through that popularity.
** Thanks to everyone for the comments. Dialog is what keeps this blog going.
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