When real people and real lives are hurt.
When private issues are aired online.
When accusations are made without reasonable proof.
When mental diagnoses are made.
When Christians tear down other Christians.
When beliefs are attributed to a certain person even though they never claimed those beliefs.
When someone is accused of certain things because they are part of a certain group.
When it produces fighting and quarrels among us.
When motives are falsely assumed or questioned.
When we theorize about other people.
When issues are dealt with emotionally rather than rationally to the point that we don’t “hear” the other person.
When someone is shunned or others ask to have them shunned in some way.
When there is guilt by association.
When you search through someone’s blog looking for dirt.
When you can’t take a joke.
When offers to explain one’s position are rejected or twisted.
When apologies are not accepted or believed.
When only one side of the story is presented.
When there is no room for grace.
When there is no room for a change of heart.
When there is no room for a different opinion.
When there is gossip.
When Christ isn’t glorified.
And I am guilty of some of these, so I want to repent. My New Year’s resolution is to glorify God in all my blogging and to refrain from bringing harm to anyone through my online activities.
There is a lot of blogging being done in the name of Christ, but I wonder if He is really pleased by what His children are doing? I think I’m going to ask myself some questions before I post an article or comment from now on:
Will Christ be pleased with this?
Will this hurt anyone?
Will this edify?
Am I willing to say this same thing out loud to a group of Christians?
Will unbelievers who may read my words be drawn to Christ because of what I say?
Am I setting a good example for my children?
Am I giving grace to others?
Am I allowing room for differences of opinion where God allows that same difference?
Matt. 12:36 “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.”
Jen's Gems -- Doug Phillips' Ecclesiastical Tyranny and Abuse 