One more defensive stand…
Before I begin this installment, a brief observation on the last one…
You know, it’s always gratifying to know that I’m not just writing to myself here…that there are others who drop in occasionally to see what I might have to say about whatever I happen to be discussing. Contrary to what some may think, I don’t write my thoughts down to get attention or notoriety…I’ve been there, and had that, and it doesn’t “turn my crank”, so to speak.
I write because it’s an outlet I have at my disposal to express myself, and it also gives me practice as a communicator to sharpen my skills at communicating(which can ALWAYS be improved). My last entry was actually suggested to me by a friend, who thought after we had discussed the subject at length that it might be of interest to some to have my thoughts written down about the subject.
Well, it was…but not quite the interest I would have hoped for.
One person even called me to express his/her thoughts on what I’d said(don’t even THINK I’d let on what gender this person may have been!), and took the time to correct some errors I had made, as well as making other suggestions about what I ought to have said. This was unexpected(somewhat), but welcome, as I only grow from the “sharpening” that comes from honest discussion. I might add that there IS a built in mechanism here to enable those who have comments or observations(positive or otherwise)to make them so that I don’t get TOO irresponsible here when expressing my opinion about something. Again, as in the past, I encourage those who take exception to things I say to use it, and do not only this blog, but ME a favor!
However, predictably, there were those who chose to express their disagreement in a public place amongst themselves(as if I wouldn’t see it). Along the way, not-so-veiled aspersions were cast upon my character and motivations, and some ideas I had expressed were taken out of context to drive home the point that I am a very bad person.
I have no problem with disagreement with my conclusions…I wonder why, though, if the consensus is that I am so uninformed and off-base, there is such consternation about my opinions. Surely, if my thoughts lack merit to such an extent, it ought to be easy just to dismiss what I say without any need for further comment.
Certainly, an objective reading of my comments would determine that I saw more positive things to point out than negative ones, or at least that was my intention. But I have found in the 18 years I have hosted radio talk shows, and the three and a half years that I have posted on message boards, that some people are more predisposed to respond to what they THINK you said or meant, rather than what was actually said or meant. But I forgive them, for they know not what they do(or say, in this case).
And the obvious problem with that is that usually what we tend to be concerned with motivationally bears little to no resemblance to what is actually the case. I have been as guilty of that as anyone else, and it’s not fair. That is not a complaint, merely an observation of fact.
We too often become enamored with the high-profile gifts of the Spirit and the Father, such as hospitality, exhortation, ecstatic utterance, singing, and yes, writing and speaking. And consequently we tend to ignore the lower profile ones, such as humility and discernment. Perhaps it may be time to pay less attention to OUR senses and focus more on HIS…in hopes that that will give us a clearer picture of what is around us, and how we should react to it.
As always, I’m preaching here as much to myself as to the reader…I’m already thinking of things I could have done differently to be a better example in this area. But doesn’t it make more sense, if when we as Christian people encounter that that annoys or repulses us, that we take such things to God first…before we exhale our frustration and invective to the rest of the world?
Back in 1975, the LeFevres recorded a song called “Talking ‘Bout People”, which said, in part…
Now I hear people talkin’ bout people,
But if you’re gonna talk about me…
Make sure what you’re sayin’ is done while you’re prayin’…
And please do it on your knee.
Well, this has gone on a bit, hasn’t it? I hadn’t intended to go this deep into it…but this is a mere blog, and as far as I know, there is no “Robert’s Rules of Order” for blog entries! So, with the hope that it does some good, those are my thoughts on some of the response to my last entry!
It’s a shame that my mere little words can cause such a ruckus…but I suppose that is also part of the territory covered by a public blog! Now I have a small idea of how someone like Doug Harrison feels when those who seem to oppose him out of hand take umbrage at some of his observations!
I had meant to post on another topic altogether this time, but obviously, I never got that far. Maybe next time…
Posted on Aug 26, 2006 - 09:10 PM | [0]
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