I've wasted a good bit of time checking out random blogs since I started this crazy blog thing late last year. I've found 5 basic types of blogs: 1. The inspirational/thought provoking 2. The diary 3. Pictures 4. Advertisement driven 5.Informational.
I hope this blog falls more in line with the inspirational.
Anyway, as I was checking out these blogs I started thinking about the possible intentions people have in creating these websites. Why do we do it? Insanity? Loneliness? Boredom? Desperation? A need for attention? A need for praise? Delusions of grandeur? Are there really any altruistic reasons for creating a blog?
I wonder if this blog symbolizes many of these reasons. I know I struggle with loneliness and lately a tremendous amount of boredom in my job. I wonder if I was married, had an interesting job and was more involved in the lives of other people if I would even have time for a blog.
Honestly am I doing any good with this? I'm sure many other bloggers have contemplated this. I tried to do the diary thing, but I found that I didn't like being that vulnerable. I decided that I wanted this blog to be more about Jesus then about me, more about living as a part of His body. I leave it to the reader to be the judge.
I came across this random woman's blog. From examining her blog I came to learn that she's an attractive single woman in her late 20's/early 30's. I also learned, as I dug deeper into her postings, that she's dealing with the death of a boyfriend whom she was deeply in love with. How awful. Though I've never lost a girlfriend by death I do know what it's like to loose a very close loved one. However, I question whether the internet is the best place to express our most personal thoughts and struggles. It's like some kind of reality TV meets reality blogs thing. Perhaps the authors are looking for acceptance, answers or a small amount of recognition? Perhaps the readers are addicted to knowing something very personal about someone else? Perhaps we need real community more then we care to admit and these blogs (especially the diary styled) help us to feel close to someone, even though we don't really know them?
My conclusion: Blogging can be fun and it can have an altruistic purpose, as much as reading a book can, at least. However, living life with real flesh and blood people should always take priority. As a self professed introvert (though there are several people I know who would disagree) I know how difficult it is to put yourself out there to get to know people, but you may go gray, if you wait on other people to take the initiative with you. Sure keep reading books & blogs, but think about getting a job at a coffee house or hosting a cookout at your place as well. Think balance. Taking the time to really love someone is far more important then lighting up a computer screen.
Faith, hope and love that's what little boys and girls in Jesus Christ are made of.
And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)
3 comments:
What you said is good. But I would like to pose another question: What do you desire in a friend, or perhaps to put it another way, if you have the cookouts and coffee house what sort of person are you going to seek to know more personally? We cant touch the lives of everyone and we dont have enough time to know everyone personally so, what criteria do you use for choosing who you will seek to know better? Keep in mind we may want to touch the lives of others and we may seek to have others touch our lives.
"what criteria do you use for choosing who you will seek to know better?"
That depends on the other person. I try to make myself available as a brother in Christ or witness to as many people as I can.
I'm trying to get my real estate license and as part of this process I have to get a broker to sponsor me. Yesterday I spoke with a broker who advised me to always wear something which would say "Hey everyone I'm a realtor for agency X!!!". Here's an exact quote: "Whether you're playing guitar or mountain biking, make sure you're always identified as a realtor". Hmm... this sounds like an idol to me. Shouldn't we, as Christians, be identified with Jesus Christ? Whether I'm a realtor, engineer, guitar player, motorcycle rider, mountain biker or blogger, I want to first and foremost be identified with Jesus Christ.
"What do you desire in a friend, or perhaps to put it another way, if you have the cookouts and coffee house what sort of person are you going to seek to know more personally?"
The short answer: Everyone!
The long answer: What are your intentions? It always comes back to this. Is it all about you or is it all about Jesus Christ? On the surface this may seem like an ambiquous question, but it isn't.
Why are you working at the coffee house or hosting a cookout? To make friends? Then you have to ask yourself a question: what is a real friend? I believe a real friend will typically possess many of the same qualities you admire in yourself or other people. You'll "get" each other without the neccessity for drawn out explainations. However, I'm not really referring to friendships in this article. I'm referring to fellowship. Being in the world, but not of it. Making disciples of all nations.
It's like I said in a previous article, witnessing should be an intergral part of who you are as a Christian. If you make friends along the way then what a great blessing. If you partner with Jesus Christ to plant a seed of eternal life in someone else, infinitely better.
It'a about living in reality, not virtual reality. It's about letting His light, in you, shine into other folks lives. It's not about other people turning on their computer to read some stupid blog, unless that stupid blog encourages fellowship and the glory of Jesus Christ in the real world.
Good topic..Here's my two cents:
I think blogging allows one to kind of still hide behind closed walls with no-one around and have security while he or she says what they want to say.
I'm a songwriter...I love it and hate it at the same time. I love writing and creating the song..mostly because it's really fun to create, it's private and it just feels good to sound intelligent..it makes me feel better about myself and life..
..but when it comes time to perform something deeply personal I tend to break out in a sweat..mostly because I'm being really vulnerable in front of a crowd..It's very, very intense and part of me both loves it and hates it..
..so..back to blogging..I mainly think it's just another artistic outlet for the most part...an easier and less scary artistic outlet then presenting all of your ideas in front of real, breathing people...
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