May I come in to your house?

[methinkshe]

Yes, we say we are merely sharing opinions, but if that's what we were doing then we would say our piece and leave it at that.

It takes discipline to not post when angry. But that's what needs to be done.

Bingo!

The urge to toss in that one little jab becomes too much to resist when we are posting in response to someone we feel has slighted us.

Can we imagine Jesus behind a keyboard posting the same way?

t.

...but what glory to suffer the slights just as Jesus did! I think it can be a very hallowed experience to learn how to take slights without feeling a need to rejoin. At the risk of sounding as though I am advocating self-flagellism (which I am not) there is something very glorious and liberating about suffering, (i.e. putting up with in silence, as a lamb to the slaughter) in just a very small way, the kind of taunts that our Lord Jesus suffered.

In Jesus,

Ruth

[ted]

Amen, Ruth.

What glory it is to suffer as one who follows Christ. But in an even simpler fashion, we can post without having to feel as though we are suffering. More importantly, we can post without making others suffer...

t.

[melvin2007]

Yes, we say we are merely sharing opinions, but if that's what we were doing then we would say our piece and leave it at that.

It takes discipline to not post when angry. But that's what needs to be done.

Bingo!

The urge to toss in that one little jab becomes too much to resist when we are posting in response to someone we feel has slighted us.

Can we imagine Jesus behind a keyboard posting the same way?

t.

...but what glory to suffer the slights just as Jesus did! I think it can be a very hallowed experience to learn how to take slights without feeling a need to rejoin. At the risk of sounding as though I am advocating self-flagellism (which I am not) there is something very glorious and liberating about suffering, (i.e. putting up with in silence, as a lamb to the slaughter) in just a very small way, the kind of taunts that our Lord Jesus suffered.

In Jesus,

Ruth

Good point, sometimes we need to back of a little to prevent an unnecessary argument

[ted]

Yes, we say we are merely sharing opinions, but if that's what we were doing then we would say our piece and leave it at that.

It takes discipline to not post when angry. But that's what needs to be done.

Bingo!

The urge to toss in that one little jab becomes too much to resist when we are posting in response to someone we feel has slighted us.

Can we imagine Jesus behind a keyboard posting the same way?

t.

...but what glory to suffer the slights just as Jesus did! I think it can be a very hallowed experience to learn how to take slights without feeling a need to rejoin. At the risk of sounding as though I am advocating self-flagellism (which I am not) there is something very glorious and liberating about suffering, (i.e. putting up with in silence, as a lamb to the slaughter) in just a very small way, the kind of taunts that our Lord Jesus suffered.

In Jesus,

Ruth

Good point, sometimes we need to back of a little to prevent an unnecessary argument

Especially in those times when we think we must answer immediately...

(Except in some of the Fellowship Hall threads, that is. Gotta stay on your toes in there....)

t.

Edited June 17, 2007 by ted

[methinkshe]

Amen, Ruth.

What glory it is to suffer as one who follows Christ. But in an even simpler fashion, we can post without having to feel as though we are suffering. More importantly, we can post without making others suffer...

t.

Indeed, so. Our posts should always be with grace. But not at the expense of truth. Jesus did not say to the Pharisees "You brood of vipers" and "you whitewahsed tombs" with the intention of causing suffering and humiliation, but rather to alert them to the truth of their hypocrisy. It's a fine line and one that we can only tread under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus,

Ruth

[ted]

Amen, Ruth.

What glory it is to suffer as one who follows Christ. But in an even simpler fashion, we can post without having to feel as though we are suffering. More importantly, we can post without making others suffer...

t.

Indeed, so. Our posts should always be with grace. But not at the expense of truth. Jesus did not say to the Pharisees "You brood of vipers" and "you whitewahsed tombs" with the intention of causing suffering and humiliation, but rather to alert them to the truth of their hypocrisy. It's a fine line and one that we can only tread under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus,

Ruth

Even though He chose those very words carefully, I believe that He did not use them to lift Himself above them in stature, but to wake them up and cause them to see what was in their hearts.

He also had the authority from Higher Headquarters to do so. We have to decide if we have that same authority when we post...

t.

[methinkshe]

Amen, Ruth.

What glory it is to suffer as one who follows Christ. But in an even simpler fashion, we can post without having to feel as though we are suffering. More importantly, we can post without making others suffer...

t.

Indeed, so. Our posts should always be with grace. But not at the expense of truth. Jesus did not say to the Pharisees "You brood of vipers" and "you whitewahsed tombs" with the intention of causing suffering and humiliation, but rather to alert them to the truth of their hypocrisy. It's a fine line and one that we can only tread under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus,

Ruth

Even though He chose those very words carefully, I believe that He did not use them to lift Himself above them in stature, but to wake them up and cause them to see what was in their hearts.

He also had the authority from Higher Headquarters to do so. We have to decide if we have that same authority when we post...

t.

I agree. There can never be a lifting up of oneself - only a lifting of the Way, the Truth and the Life - to glorify God who is ALL in ALL.

In Jesus,

Ruth

[melvin2007]

Amen, Ruth.

What glory it is to suffer as one who follows Christ. But in an even simpler fashion, we can post without having to feel as though we are suffering. More importantly, we can post without making others suffer...

t.

Indeed, so. Our posts should always be with grace. But not at the expense of truth. Jesus did not say to the Pharisees "You brood of vipers" and "you whitewahsed tombs" with the intention of causing suffering and humiliation, but rather to alert them to the truth of their hypocrisy. It's a fine line and one that we can only tread under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus,

Ruth

Its a massive skill actually, to be able to "rebuke" someone and yet not cause them humiliation or provoke an angry response.

probably takes years of experience

[ted]

Amen, Ruth.

What glory it is to suffer as one who follows Christ. But in an even simpler fashion, we can post without having to feel as though we are suffering. More importantly, we can post without making others suffer...

t.

Indeed, so. Our posts should always be with grace. But not at the expense of truth. Jesus did not say to the Pharisees "You brood of vipers" and "you whitewahsed tombs" with the intention of causing suffering and humiliation, but rather to alert them to the truth of their hypocrisy. It's a fine line and one that we can only tread under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus,

Ruth

Its a massive skill actually, to be able to "rebuke" someone and yet not cause them humiliation or provoke an angry response.

probably takes years of experience

Or only one brief second of humility...

t.

[methinkshe]

Amen, Ruth.

What glory it is to suffer as one who follows Christ. But in an even simpler fashion, we can post without having to feel as though we are suffering. More importantly, we can post without making others suffer...

t.

Indeed, so. Our posts should always be with grace. But not at the expense of truth. Jesus did not say to the Pharisees "You brood of vipers" and "you whitewahsed tombs" with the intention of causing suffering and humiliation, but rather to alert them to the truth of their hypocrisy. It's a fine line and one that we can only tread under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus,

Ruth

Its a massive skill actually, to be able to "rebuke" someone and yet not cause them humiliation or provoke an angry response.

probably takes years of experience

Do you, in all honesty, (and I genuinely seek your honest response) think that we should set out to avoid an angry response when we speak the truth? The Pharisees weren't exactly hugging Jesus when He called them a brood of vipers. They were big-time angry! I'm not suggesting that we should seek to arouse anger by our words, but rather that if we speak truth and it arouses anger, then that goes with speaking truth. Let those who are angered give account of their anger rather than suggest it is wrong, per se, that they should have been provoked to anger.

In Jesus,

Ruth