Recently I’ve been getting a lot of anonymous comments. This used to not be the case, I used to hardly get any comments. Today my thoughts have been sparked nostalgically about my blog. I’ve been writing this blog for almost a year. When I started it I gave the link to some of my friends and family. Through the year I have discovered other blogs and as I began to read theirs they began to read mine. For some time now I have been almost reading the blogs of total strangers almost daily. There are several dynamic Christian bloggers I read who write from Canada and across the states. It seems now that as I read regularly about their life and their walk with the Lord that we have some kind of “friendship” via our blogs.
Gradually I found that more people were reading. One day one of Bobby’s high school students commented on one of my entries. I was stunned. I never thought the high school students would be interested in what I was writing about. I remember feeling very defensive about my entries. That perhaps what I wrote was too personal, maybe I didn’t want them to read it. But it wasn’t long before my link spread and many of them tell me that they read it regularly. Shortly after this happened, one of my sisters mentioned that a few of my relatives read this blog. I never would have thought they were reading, but she said they were. I was even surprised to find out a couple of weeks ago that my bosses read this blog!
I realize that it would be foolish to act as though posting on the internet were anything confidential or even special. Even the fact that it’s put on the web pretty much makes it a free-for-all. Strangers are reading it, old college friends can google it and I would never know. The only way I know for sure who is reading is if they tell me, or leave a comment. But until recently I have only received a very small amount of comments via the site or e-mail from people who live here, or my blog “friends”. So I had often wondered about the other people who might be reading. Do they visit the page and then skim for the funny parts, personal accounts or stories? Are my words used as gossip material, not taken seriously, or used to mock me? Does reading my blog make a distant friend or relative feel closer to me, though they don’t even know me? I’m sure my readership could be described in these ways and many others. But the lesson I’m learning most about this is not in regards to the reader, but the writer.
At first thought I found it a bit unsettling that so many people were anonymously reading my thoughts. I felt somewhat invaded when I realized just how many and who were reading. I started thinking that maybe I should change what I wrote and make it less personal. Maybe I shouldn’t say specific names and try to maintain some sense of anonymity like some of my readers do. However, I am starting to come to grips with the fact that I should have nothing to hide, no matter what I say or write. There should really be no secret part of me or something that I would be ashamed to have made known. This all became more clear and convicting to me when I read this verse:
“Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16
It seems that everyone has a more personal side and things that they wouldn’t share with everyone and this makes sense. But there is also a great deal of secret keeping, hiding of the past and just plain unwillingness to be open to others. Jesus’ command asks the question that if we are doing everything for God’s glory wouldn’t we want others to know about it?
There are a few different aspects of this command.
“Let your light so shine…” One is that He is speaking to believers. We know that Jesus called Himself the Light of the world (John 9:5) When we were saved, Jesus invaded our heart and soul, His light purging the darkness of sin in us. As we continue to grow in Him as we are sanctified, His light is continually shed into our hearts and lives through His truth and the power of the Holy Spirit. This is how a believer grows and develops in the Lord. The command is not “Try your best to let you light shine” or “Do what you can to show people that you’re a good person.” The command is “Let”. This implies that the light is already there and that we can be tempted to hide it. I’ve seen this when people talk about witnessing. There are some who say, “I’m just so shy, I can’t tell anyone about Jesus.” Or maybe we hide our light by allowing sin and selfishness to cover it. Then when we say, “I am a Christian” people are confused, they would have used the term hypocrite or maybe thought that salvation isn’t really worth it. “Let your light so shine” is a command for us to be open and above reproach–having nothing to hide.
“That all may see your good works…” Another aspect is the definition of good works. Some people might read this verse and think they have to make up things for people to see. Try to come across really spiritual or as a good person so that people will notice that in them. Jesus is not calling us to put on appearances, but rather to let the work He has done in our hearts shine through. As we walk and grow in the Lord the Holy Spirit bears fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22-23). I used to think that the fruit of the Spirit was something that I could “do”, that I could make a list and study each word and gradually work on them enough that I could adequately possess each quality. More recently I’ve learned that this is not the case. I can’t ever “do” the fruit of the Spirit, that’s not the idea. This isn’t about just helping people or manufacturing a good image to project. My “good works” must grow out of the work He is doing in my heart as I give myself to the Word, prayer and walking in obedience to God’s commands. The more surrendered and devoted I am to walking in the Spirit and not the flesh these godly attitudes will characterize my life. These are the good works that must shine.
“Glorify your Father in heaven.” It may seem that more often than not non-believers are mocking believers, persecuting them or simply not understanding what compels and controls them. This is often due to the fact that so many Christians allow sin or laziness into their lives hence, cluttering their clear witness of shining God’s works in them. By allowing sin to remain in our lives we are not inviting God to continue His work in us and others will see this. That is why Peter says:
“Beloved I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims,
abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,
having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles,
that when they speak against you as evildoers,
they may by your good works which they observe,
glorify God in the day of visitation.”
1 Peter 2:11-12
The idea is that even though people might criticize or speak ill of me, that I would be above all reproach in my conduct that their accusations would actually turn up void. This is also a good reminder to the person who is letting their light shine. We are not to live so that we will get any of the glory, only our Father in heaven.
“Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
let not the mighty man glory in his might,
nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
but let him who glories glory in this,
that he understands and knows Me,
that I am the Lord exercising lovingkindness,
judgment and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight.’”
Jeremiah 9:23-24
I don’t know why people visit and read this blog. Often times I don’t even know who the readers are, but I do know that as the writer of it, this verse is what I hope that my readers will see and come away with knowing or understanding. That I love the Lord and want to openly write to share how He is growing me as I seek to glorify Him in all I do. You can choose to comment or e-mail me if you feel that you want to respond. I’m open to all thoughts whether they encourage or challenge.
I thought about taking away the option for readers to respond to me anonymously due to the somewhat controversial nature of the comments presented without name. However my purpose in allowing that option was not to allow free reign for readers to make hurtful personal attacks or instigate unedifying discussion, but rather I hoped to grant a courtesy to readers who may not have a blogger account. This allows many of my friends to comment here who do not keep a blog of their own, or have one from a different provider. I would, however, greatly appreciate it if all commentors would be gracious enough to leave their name and also to be sure that their comment is related to the post in some way. If any reader is apprehensive about leaving a comment or sharing something with their name on it, please feel more than welcome to e-mail me at [1]
christa_blakey@yahoo.com. I greatly appreciate the feedback and interaction from my readers and I hope that thoughtful and fruitful discussion will continue as the Lord continues His work in me.