Spiritual confessions of a rookie blogger
I’ve learned some surprising things. Maybe some of them would be good lessons for you too.
Bruce and wife Nancy at Park City, Utah, site of the 2002 Winter Olympics.
I care very little if I am judged you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. —1 Corinthians 4:3–4
With this post, I complete my first month of “gently provocative insights.” It’s been rewarding, revealing, and significantly different from all my prior communication experiences. Today, I reflect on what I’ve learned personally and spiritually.
New friends. I’ve become connected to a gifted Angolan scholar working on religion and politics, numerous Canadians trying to express their faith sensitively in tough times, a leader in Asian ministry who values my editing, and many others whom I can serve and who have encouraged me but who would never have found me otherwise.
Personal service. Some of these new friendships have happened because I determinedly resist impersonality. Mass media methods, busy lives, and misguided ideas about what’s important (Proverbs 16:19; James 2:1–7) all push us away from taking time for individuals. When I become as famous as Taylor Swift, I’ll have to readjust my style. Since that is not imminent, I can still find joy and fulfillment in showing love to each person who communicates with me.
Thick skin needed. Public figures must be ready to receive criticism, consider it thoughtfully, and let it bounce off them when the attacks are unwarranted. Even though Jesus faced fierce opposition and told his followers to expect the same, I still struggle with a desire to please everyone. I am tempted to treat every personal criticism or “unsubscribe” as a message that I’ve done something wrong. I must remind myself that no matter how hard I try to express myself carefully and graciously, some people will be upset and that it’s not necessarily my fault (see 1 Cor 4:3–4, quoted above).
Avoid a numbers focus. Even though the response to month 1 has significantly exceeded expectations, with over 10,000 views and numerous reposts by Christian leaders, I still obsess over statistics. I mentioned this to Gary Hoag of Global Trust Partners, whose book The Choice calls Christians to relationship-based rather than results-based management styles. Gary said, “You have two choices. You can focus on producing high-quality blog posts, which is something you can control, or you can focus on numbers that you can’t control.” Put it that way and the path is pretty obvious.
Affirmation. Many have thanked me for creating and modeling a space where people can express themselves thoughtfully, without needing to apologize for their views but also without beating each other up. The world is supposed to know Christians by our love, not our ideological uniformity.
Quality. Preparing good blog posts takes longer than I predicted. I can write 500 words in 40 minutes, but careful research, contacting sources, conducting interviews, checking facts, anticipating criticisms, and ensuring balance take a lot longer. Many people write in shoot-from-the-hip fashion, without much concern for accuracy or representing others fairly. Let’s avoid that trap. Let me know if I’m ever falling short. I admit errors and am happy to share corrections as well as reader responses.