Courtney Speaks

photo credit: alicepopkorn ( in and out )Continuing on with my series of posts on Incorporating Christian Values into Your Blog today is all about longsuffering.  Colossians 3:12 tells us “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;“.  As believers in Christ, the elect of God, we are to put the bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness, meekness, and longsuffering.  Past posts in this series discuss the meanings of these virtues and how we can blend them into our blogging.

Longsuffering is the last virtue listed in Colossians 3:12 and therefore the last post in this series, although I am sure I will discuss other Christian characteristics in the future as well. In Colossians 3:12 the greek word makrothumia is used for longsuffering, which simply means patience.

According to the Random House Dictionary the word patience has several different meanings:

1. the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.
2. an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay: to have patience with a slow learner.
3. quiet, steady perseverance; even-tempered care; diligence: to work with patience.

There are so many ways we can incorporate patience into blogging.  A couple that jump out right at me are the following:

1. Diligence – Don’t give up.  If you start a blog or an online business and then get discouraged because you are not getting the results you desire, don’t give up.  Keep going.  Pray.  Ask for God’s will.  If you do the work and it’s in God’s will, then success will come.
2. Without Complaint – Does it make sense to complain about things we can not change?  No it doesn’t and in the blogosphere things are always changing.  Ad networks can the way they work, blogging networks revise their rules and regulations, and even blogging platforms such as Blogger and Wordpress make changes you may not like.  If something changes that you do not like you have a couple options, deal with it or move on.  Complaining is not an option and does not do anyone any good.

Blogging the Bible is just one more way that we as Christians can show the love of Christ.  What are some of the ways you think we as Christians can incorporate patience in with our blogs?   I would love to hear your opinions and suggestions.

Today I am continuing on the series, Incorporating Christian Virtues Into Your Blog.  This series of posts is based on Colossians 3:12, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;“  which is a list of virtues that Christians are suppose to have.  The virtue being examined today is meekness and I will be discussing how we, as bloggers, can incorporate meekness in our daily blogging lives.

According to Random House Dictionary meekness can mean three different things:

humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others.

overly submissive or compliant; spiritless; tame.

Obsolete. gentle; kind.

The biblical definition is a little different than the one from Random House.  Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words explains that the Greek word used for meekness in the Bible verse Colossians 3:12 is prautes, which is similar in meaning to gentleness. While the word meekness can at times refer to a person’s outward appearance, such as patience, gentle, kind, it can also refer to Christians who accept the Lord’s dealings with us as good and does not dispute or resist them.  We are in a way, submissive to the Lord’s will.

The common definition of meekness is easy to incorporate in our blogs.  By being patient and kind, by not writing a post that is complaining, by not leaving a comment that could create conflict, we are showing the outward appearance of meekness.  But what about the inward, spiritual, side of meekness?  How can we incorporate that in our blogs?

1. Stay true to your faith – In the blogging world it is easy to get sidetracked and involved in less than Christian-like activities, such as blog jealously, envy, or gossip.  We need to remember way we started blogging and ask ourselves how our blog is giving glory to God.
2. Pray for your blog – How are we suppose to know God’s will for our blog if we do not pray about for our blog? Prayer is our way of communicating with God and allows us to have closer relationship with Him.  If we are praying for our blog and doing God’s will in regards to our blog then our blogs will be successful.

There is one virtue left that is listed in Colossians 3:12 and that virtue is longsuffering.

photo credit: ToniVC“Humbleness of mind” is the next Christian virtue I want to discuss in my series, Incorporating Christian Virtues Into Your Blog.  So far we have discussed why you should and how to incorporate mercy and kindness into your blog.  Just changing the way you do a few things can make such a huge difference and really let others see the Christ in you.

Humbleness is something, I think, we all struggle with.  Being humble is no easy task.  So what does being humble actually mean?  According to Webster dictionary it means:

1: not proud or haughty : not arrogant or assertive

2: reflecting, expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission <a humble apology>

According to the Bible it means the opposite of being proud:

“…Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:6

The best definition of being humble I have ever read is from the site, Foundations for Freedom:

“Humility is accepting our selves as we really are before God.”

Being humble means not being proud, arrogant, or full of ourselves.  We have to recognize that we not perfect, in fact we are sinners who need the Lord.  We all have faults but we the Lord we can overcome them.

So how can we incorporate humbleness in our blogs?

1. Encourage other bloggers
   Phillipians 2:3 tells us, “in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves”. We should encourage other bloggers even if it results in them being a better blogger than yourself. If you find a blogger that has a great post, Stumble It, Digg It, give it some Twitter love. Leave a comment letting the blogger know you enjoy their blog. Tell your friends about the blog. Offer to help the blogger in some way. There are numerous ways we can help to encourage other bloggers.
2. Accept that you cannot do everything
   As a blogger or online marketer we often want to believe that we can do everything and be everything to everyone. One of the greatest things you can do for yourself and your blog is to realize that you cannot do everything! It is impossible. We are not perfect.  However with the Lord’s help we can get help to manage everything. Just make sure you prioritize what is really important, time with the Lord and your family.
3. Be Careful Not To Brag and Be Boastful
   This one is tricky. If you accomplish something exciting you want to be able to share it with your blog readers. However at the same time you do not want to sound prideful, boastful, or appear to be bragging. Just choose your words wisely and be sure to give all the credit to the Lord.

Next Up: Meekness

photo credit: RebelBlueAngelToday I am continuing on my series about incorporating Christian virtues into your blog.  This entire series is based on Colossians 3:12-25 and the virtues that are listed that we as Christian should strive to have in our lives.  Once we are saved we become a new person and the “old man” is put away.

The virtues listed in Colossians 3:12-25 include holiness, mercy, kindness, humbleness, meekness, and longsuffering.  The first post in this series was about mercy and today I am going to write about kindness.

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” Colossians 3:12

According to the verse above we are to put on kindness. What does it kindness mean exactly? I found the perfect definition at DiscipleshipTools.com by Dr. Richard J. Krejcir:

Kindness (Rom. 2:1-4; 12:9-21; Ephesians 4:32; Col. 3:12-14; 1 John 3:16-23) is the medium through which Christ’s love becomes tangible through us. It is practicing benevolence and a loving attitude towards others. Kindness is the essence that shows the world that we are a Christian, like the fragrance coming from a flower. It is being convicted with God’s Word, and then modeling it to others. Kindness is the subject to the object of who we are in Christ!

WOW!  Kindness is a way in which Christ’s love becomes tangible through us!  It is being benevolent and having a loving attitude.  Kindness is a way for others to see Christ in us.  Webester’s dictionary defines it as, “Showing tenderness or goodness; disposed to do good and confer happiness; averse to hurting or paining; benevolent; benignant; gracious.”

So how can we apply this kindness to our blog?  Oh let me count the ways!

1. Have a loving attitude.
   When you write your blog posts who do you write for and do you love that person or those people?  If you are blog is targeted towards mothers do you have a passion and love for them?  If you blog just for yourself do you love yourself?  I know there are a lot of different opinions on this, but I personally think you need to be blogging about something you have passion about.  Something you love.  For me that is the Lord.  So I blog about the Lord and how I and other people can incorporate Him into our blogs.  It’s effortless for me because it is my passion, my love.  The passion and love for a subject and audience shows through your writing as well.  Having a loving attitude will help you, your writing, and your audience grow.
2. Be Gracious.
   Luke 6:31 tells us, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.“  This is common sense.  It seems like it is forgotten a lot in today’s society.  If someone leaves a comment on your blog, email that person back saying thanks, visit their blog and leave a comment, or even better do both!  It always makes my day when I receive some type of response to my comments.  If you are hosting a giveaway, tell the sponsor thank you!  If you have sponsor’s who purchase ad space, tell them thank you!  Tell your readers thank you!  Most of this stuff is common sense but can make a huge difference in your blog.
3. Be adverse to causing pain.
   Don’t knowingly cause others pain. If you know leaving a comment on a certain blog post would cause the writer to be hurt, is it really necessary to do?  Don’t openly flame a person on your blog.  According to the Bible if we have a problem with someone we are to talk them privately first to try and work out any differences.  Blaring all your issues with another blogger online never does of you any good.  Just think before you do.

By doing these simple things we are incorporating the Christian virtue of kindness is our blogs and we are also showing the love of Christ.  We are acknowledging we are separate from the world, we are children of God.  We need to start acting like it and can do so by showing simple acts of kindness.

photo credit: mtsofanIn the Sunday service yesterday at church the preacher was teaching on the characteristics of a new believer in Christ.  Colossians 3:9-10 teaches us that we are to put off the old man and put on the new man – meaning that once we are saved we become a new person.  In Colassians 3:12:-25 the Bible gives us a list of virtues that a believer in Christ should strive for.

While the preacher was teaching on each of these virtues described in Colossians 3:12-25 it became apparent to me that each of these virtues could, and should be, incorporated in our blogs. The fist virtue I want to talk about is mercy and how we can incorporate mercy into our blogs.

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” Colossians 3:12

The verse above tells us that we are to put on “bowels of mercies”.  So, what is mercy?  God shows us mercy by forgiving our sins and not punishing us for them.  God withheld judgment from us.  Mercy is not receiving the judgment you deserve.  As a Christian we are not to judge others.  According to the Webster online dictionary mercy is:

1 a: compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one’s power ; also : lenient or compassionate treatment <begged for mercy> b: imprisonment rather than death imposed as penalty for first-degree murder

2 a: a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion b: a fortunate circumstance <it was a mercy they found her before she froze>

3: compassionate treatment of those in distress <works of mercy among the poor>

As a believer in Christ we are to show mercy to others.  We are not to judge others but to show compassion.  So how can we incorporate this into our blog?

1. Dealing with hateful and rude comments.
   Have you ever gotten some rude or down right hateful comments on your blog? I’m sure most of us has at some point in our blogging careers. It is a fact in the blogosphere that everyone is not going to agree with you and your opinions.  The real question here, though, is how do you deal with those comments?  Are you quick to judge the commenter based on just those typed words?  Instead of being judgmental next time you get a rude or hateful comment respond in a kind and loving fashion.  Let the commenter see the Jesus in you.
2. Be respectful to other bloggers.
   Did you often make assumptions about other bloggers?  I am guilty of this.  It is easy to assume that just because a blogger is getting invited to events, have obtained sponsorships, have a large large Twitter following, and great blog traffic, that they have the perfect life.   Or that they are stuck up and snobby.  Or that they are undeserving of such success.  None of those things are for us to decide.  Assuming things about a person is the same as judging them unfairly.  We should be respectful to fellow bloggers regardless of their success or lack of success.
   
3. Support other bloggers.
   Genuinely supporting other bloggers is often easier said then done.  Sometimes we think we have nothing to offer to help or we think we just don’t have the time.  Of course, another reason could be, “Why help them if it isn’t going to help me?”  Part of showing mercy is having compassion for others.  This includes helping when you are able to.  Many times we are only supportive because we get a reward for it, whether it be some link love, getting contacts, or just for kind words.  Part of showing mercy is to be compassionate.  By being compassionate we support and help others without looking for a reward.  We do it because it is the right thing to do and it is what Jesus would do.

Of course there are many additional ways we can incorporate mercy in our blogs.  By incorporating mercy in our blogs we are become the type of person God wants us to be and thus will also bring us closer to the Lord.

The next virtue I will be talking about is kindness, something the blogosphere definitely lacks at time and excels in at other times.