The forms of media we have now (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace etc.) makes for a lot of one-sided conversations. Many times it takes me a few days to write a blog entry. I write it with my understanding and perception in mind. I do some rewriting so my point, hopefully, comes across in love. My friend Kate from Nakuru, Kenya (you can read about their ministry at A Future and A Hope) recently posted on Facebook how her husband sometimes keeps her from saying things she shouldn’t say! There may be things I should say, but the way I say them may come off as pushy, in-your-face or judgemental…not the way I want to come across.
I have to remember God gives everyone a chance to accept His Son and there is nothing I can do (except present Him in the first place) to make anyone accept Him sooner or convince someone to act on His Word. So how I present Him may either turn people away or bring them closer. I don’t want to be like the Gentiles (see Ephesians) who “lost all sensitivity”, but I want to “put on the new self, created to be like God…” I have to continually remind myself, or have someone else remind me, God loves us all, wants all of us to be in Heaven, have a relationship with Him and have His will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. If sometimes I’m a reminder to you of God’s truth and love through my words, amen. If I come across unloving, please forgive me.
As Shane Claiborne said, paraphrased here, we don’t want people to say to us ‘what a great person you are’ we want people to say ‘ what a great God you serve’.