Be the Best Version of You

I don't know about you, but whether I am reading an excerpt from my devotional or spending personal time in God's Word, a blog post idea is usually given birth to.  I jot down a little note to myself in my planner and also mark-up my Bible or devotional with what the Holy Spirit has revealed to me.

While reflecting upon what I might write about tonight, I was looking through my planner and found a note I had written about an insight I received from my January 13th devotional reading.  I pondered it for a moment, and then continued looking at another notation I had written down a week prior regarding a different blog post idea.  Stopping for a moment, I prayed that the Lord would show me what He wanted me to write about.  After I finished praying, a phrase at the bottom of my planner page jumped out at me...

I was astonished!  Although I didn't realize it at the time I recorded my scrawly note,  the very insight the Holy Spirit revealed to me, directly related to this phrase at the bottom of the planner page!  It was then that I knew I was going to be writing about 2 Corinthians 10:11-12...

Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present. 

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are

 commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

As bloggers, we are like modern day apostles - sharing the Gospel; testifying to God's great love and power; and encouraging obedience in both our own Christian walk and that of our readers.

I think it is true for most of us, that our blog posts, more times than not, are bolder than what our own face to face personal interaction might be...

I can remember years ago when AOL's instant messaging was all the rage - everyone had an AIM account.   For me it was a great way to stay connected to a loved one while they were overseas.   It was always so exciting to hear the alert sound when that person had sent me a message.  Although we were half a world apart from each other, instant messaging closed the gap, at many levels really...  I found that my conversations through instant messaging were much bolder than they ever would have been face to face with that person.

Are we a different version of ourselves in writing than we are face to face?

Could it be because we are hiding behind a desktop or a smart phone that our inhibitions disappear, and we share what's on our hearts more boldly.

In full disclosure, when I prepare blog posts, even though I know people read my posts, I don't seem to think in those terms as I write.  It's almost like I forget that anyone reads them.   As a result, I write more freely and boldly.   Because I can't see the stranger on the other side of the world who reads my post or in a more intimidating sense, the people who actually know me personally, you could say I write boldly because of the safety my desktop screen provides.

Speaking specifically to bloggers, the reality is, many times we are laying our souls bare in humility about all that the Lord has taught us; there is nothing that we are hiding from our readers.

Further still, there is no hiding from the God who sees.   The Lord knows what I have written and whether my actions align with what the Holy Spirit has laid on my heart to share.

 With boldness in writing for the Lord and about the things of the Lord, comes accountability...

In my blog post, Blogger Heal Thyself, I confessed that too often I blog about ways to encourage a spiritual walk, but end up only writing about it and not actually doing it!

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 1:22

The Apostle Paul is telling the brethren at Corinth that everything he writes to them he is also doing.

Oh how I was convicted anew.  Am I practicing what I preach?!  Do those who know me, see in me the walk of Faith that I have encouraged?  Do those who don't know me, see a walk of Faith - the walk of Faith that the Holy Spirit prompted me to write about?

 MAY WE LIVE OUT OUR LIVES IN HOLY 

BOLDNESS - NOT JUST IN OUR WRITING, BUT WHOLLY LIVED OUT FOR THE LORD.

BE A CONSISTENT VERSION OF YOU!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And there was more treasure to be mined from the passage in 2 Corinthians...

...Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are

 commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.

2 Corinthians 10:12

The Barnes notes on the Bible has this to say about that passage...

"The sense of Paul is, that they made themselves the standard of excellence; that they were satisfied with their own attainments; and that they overlooked the superior excellence and attainments of others. This is a graphic description of pride and self-complacency; and, alas! it is what is often exhibited. How many there are, and it is to be feared even among professing Christians, who have no other standard of excellence than themselves. Their views are the standard of orthodoxy; their modes of worship are the standard of the proper manner of devotion; their habits and customs are in their own estimation perfect; and their own characters are the models of excellence, and they see little or no excellence in those who differ from them. They look on themselves as the true measure of orthodoxy, humility, zeal, and piety; and they condemn all others, however excellent they may be, who differ from them."

 But as I read those verses, another insight was impressed upon me, you might say in the opposite sense...

Do not be overly critical of yourself by comparing your work and your walk with other bloggers and believers...

As a blogger, thinking you are not as popular as other bloggers; that your posts aren't as eloquent; that the content isn't as engaging; or that your pictures are amateur looking...

OR

As a believer, that you don't pray as often as a sister in Christ does; that your devotion and Bible time aren't as organized and in-depth; that you aren't good at evangelizing door to door; or that your ability to show hospitality is lacking, etc., etc.,

 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;  if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;  the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Romans 12:4-8

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

God never intends for us to be like another blogger or believer in our gifting...

He intends for us to blog how He inspires us - within our own unique gifting using the experiences He has ordained in our own lives.

If we all wrote exactly the same, there would be no point to visit other blogs.   Different blogs and writing styles speak to different people in different ways.  Your blog might be written in just the perfect way for Betty to understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the first time.  While Susie's blog would not have had the same effect, BUT WAS ABLE to encourage Lucy with great hope in the midst of heartache.  God uses each of us uniquely for His good purposes.

Much the same can be said about the life of a Believer, our unique personalities and experiences reach people who can relate to us.  Not everyone relates the same way to every person.  Every Believer has different steps ordered by God for him/her to take; a path that He has ordained so that they are the best equipped to accomplish the unique works He has prepared and set aside for them to do beforehand.

Think about that!  God has chosen us as bloggers and as believers to accomplish His Kingdom work in our own unique way!  A way that only WE can!

We may not have a gift for evangelizing door to door, but our gifting for writing blogs reaches to the other side of the world.

We may not have the prayer and devotional life that Sally has, but we communicate with God throughout the day, His Word hidden in our hearts, as we serve God by serving others.


BUT...  God does intend for all of His children to be imitators of Christ...

Bloggers and Believers should strive to imitate Christ through obedience in their daily walk.  Now that IS an example EVERY blogger and believer should follow and attain to...

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.  Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.  Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.   Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.   Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.  Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.  Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Romans 12:9-21

 MAY WE ONLY HAVE EYES FIXED ON JESUS, AND TO SEE CHRIST IN OTHERS, REJOICING IN THEIR SUCCESSES AND GIVING GLORY TO GOD FOR OUR OWN.

BE THE BEST VERSION OF YOU...

THE YOU GOD CREATED YOU TO BE.

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