How to begin.... What does one say when
anger overtakes him?
Frustration takes root alongside
bitterness...
Several months ago I determined to quit Facebook, even to the point of a blog post over it(http://mysoapbox2.blogspot.com/2012/08/quitting-facebook.html)... yet in the end I felt my
justification was petty, and selfish.
But there are matters that Facebook and e-mail bring to bear on society
and at times I really struggle over them (http://mysoapbox2.blogspot.com/2012/11/you-hypocrite.html). The last time it was a FB Post with
obscenities and so it was this time...
What is that great lie? Why – It’s
the lie that says I shouldn't be frustrated, that I should have everything
wrapped around my fingers. The lie that, in Satan’s words, "You will be
like God" and I recall in my humility the words of Psalm 42 again, "These things I remember, as I pour
out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the
house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping
festival." (42:4)
I have been a deacon in the church.
I have preached His Word. I have
counseled the downhearted, the sick. …Yet
I am nothing. It was all Him who works
effectually within me (Gal 2:8). But I
remember...as the Psalmist did, and find myself in need of an attitude
adjustment.
I struggle as I see in me a form of hypocrisy and do not know how to
reconcile it. Here are the 2 great
commandments:
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall
love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all
your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it:
‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all
the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt 22:37-40)
Yet in my day by day relationships I uncritically tolerate bad behavior
and bad speech from my co-workers... while at the same time being quite
critical of a niece's choice of picture to post... And I ask myself - why? I SHOULD love my neighbor (anyone I come
across, according to Luke 10:29-37) as much as I love myself- as much as I love
my family, as much as I love my niece, but I do not. I don't hold my co-workers to the same
standard as I do my family and I reckon that I should...
I also wonder how I reconcile the idea of separation from wickedness with
the ideas already presented. It's easy
spot a bad behavior or action and condemn it. It's not so easy to confront a
loved one (and all OUGHT to be loved ones) in a loving manner. So how am I doing? Not so good lately!
And I'd like to blame it on the medium.
Truly, the modern sound bite text message world DOES place obstacles
before our communicating in any manner, let alone lovingly. And working in the world today, I have learned
certain "rules" if you will, to do so...
-
Never address an important email until it’s
properly composed (you wouldn't want it to accidently be sent because of one
errant keystroke!)
-
Never send a passionately written message until
you have cooled down... for the same reason - Passion can get in the way of
rational thinking.
There are others. But how to
communicate lovingly - I don't have a rule for that... And I have yet to find a
way to communicate adequately some things.
I believe that it may be a truism that some
matters are ONLY communicated lovingly in person, period. And therein we see the dilemma... We live in
a cyber world where many of our friendships and relationships are rarely close
enough physically to have that periodic visit over coffee or whatever and have
caring heart to heart talks with one another.
May the LORD grant discernment to us and may we patiently bear up under
all circumstances.
Perhaps this would have been better shared over a cup of coffee, hmm? :)
ReplyDeleteThe ease of virtual communication, the power of the written word and the relative anonimity in communicating in the virtual world together, I think, builds the conflict.
I'm amazed how piercing an email from an aquaintence that is critical,can be. Suddenly, I feel I need to respond.
I appreciate the fact that you admit that we can and will be frustrated in this life: With our sin, and weaknesses; with other's sin and weaknesses, and with the inherent struggles found in a fallen world. Praise God for His grace and mercy. Just today, as I weighed some recent failures and what may come of these, and repented of the choices I made, I had been woken overnight on the matter by the Lord pushing me to pray. I prayed; then returned to sleep. When I woke this morning, I thanked God as he flooded me with a sense of His new mercies toward me.
Thanks, Dave. Very reflective.
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