A Lesson in Humility

Sorry for the short hiatus everyone. I needed to take a little time and space from blogging over the past couple weeks while I worked something out with God.

It wasn't my intention, but my last post hurt the feelings of someone close to me. In a way it was a bit of a miscommunication, but that doesn't change the fact that her feelings were hurt.

As I sit and ponder this I think about one of the pastors at my church.

There was this one time that during a sermon he said something that was meant to be a joke, but ended up offending someone. That person complained- explaining why they were offended. Of course it wasn't the pastor's intention to hurt this person's feelings. It seems as though they may have overreacted (so said a few people... admittedly even myself!) or missed the light heartedness of the comment. Now this pastor had two options. He could try to explain to the person why and how he meant for it to be a joke and hope the person would see it his way. (I don't know about you, but I often take this approach in close relationships. "No, no, you shouldn't be mad. I didn't mean it that way!") or, the pastor could apologize to the person- taking a heart posture of humility rather than pride.

If anyone knows the pastor I'm talking about, they won't be surprised to hear that he not only apologized, but actually did so from the pulpit the very next week. He explained that he felt it needed to be said publicly for the possibility that others were offended and didn't come forward. He couldn't stand the thought that something that he had said may have distracted from the important word that the Holy Spirit had given him to preach that day.

So, friends, with that in mind I must apologize for my last post. I spoke of online community vs community which is found in face to face relationships. I stand by the overall message of my post because I know it was a word given to me by the Lord to share, but what I apologize for is if anyone felt that I was targeting specific online communities, or discounting that there are online communities that exist that are an exception to the rule. There are indeed online communities that break the mold and step outside of the picture I painted in my last post. I am thankful for communities such as these because they show that our desire to be in real relationship with others is so strong that we can find it in the hardest to find places.

Friends, it saddens me that my own weakness of flesh and perhaps writing without careful consideration and prayer, may have distracted from the message that the Lord placed on my heart. It doesn't matter that it was not my intention to offend, it simply matters that it happened and that I am able to step past my pride and learn a lesson in humility.

I write for an audience of one, but my prayer is that it reaches the hearts of many. Please pray for me as I continue to work this out in my heart and spirit.

Chris and I are leaving on vacation in a week, and so you may not hear from me until September. If that is the case, I wish you all a fantastic rest of August!! I will fill you in on the details of our trip once we get back!


Linking with Emily at Imperfect Prose today...




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Thanks for stopping by :)

~M