Brothers and Sisters In Christ
Hey Everyone,
I realize it's almost February and I have yet to post this year...shame on me, I know...but in my defense, my laptop crashed and so I'm currently typing this on a PC, I'm borrowing, that's connected to my TV...I've got wires everywhere and the keyboard on my lap...quite the sight I'm sure! haha! Anyways...moving on...
As Christians we are "related" to all other believers in the sense that we have all been adopted by Christ which is pretty amazing, if you ask me! As brothers and sisters in Christ we are called to encourage one another and call each other out on shortcomings, but the latter, I feel is often done in wrong and hurtful ways...and it's honestly, one of my biggest pet peeves. Some of you may think that it's probably only a pet peeve because I don't want to be convicted of my sin, but you couldn't be more wrong....sure, I'm human and sometimes I'm sure I get defensive over things that I shouldn't, but far too often so called friends of mine post articles on my statuses, or comment with Bible verses that are taken out of context and supposed to change my behavior that they imply is sending me to Hell which isn't how we are supposed to be calling each other out, AT ALL!
Again, I am only human and therefore could have this all wrong, but if I'm going to bring someones attention to something, I feel they need to change, I will first pray about it and not just jump down their throat, and also, I will do it PRIVATELY! Social media is a blessing, but sometimes people get so caught up in being right and having others see their "correct" opinion that they blast passive aggressive statuses and comments that serve no purpose, but starting unnecessary arguments. Debates are fine, if both parties are willing to hear the other out, but more often than not, it's just people trying to prove they know what God meant by such and such instead of trying to see all points of view presented....this is why I hate religion (see past blog post for explanation).
The most recent example I had of this was due to a photo I posted of alcohol on instagram....First off, I'm not going to get into whether or not you can drink and be saved...that'll be a post for another day...I am not an alcoholic...I seriously rarely drink...but because I had a friend with me and we are both newly 21, we got some small bottles of stuff to try, and since the memory on my phone is next to nothing and I wanted to remember which ones we liked, I posted them with a hashtag of "for future reference." Next thing I know, I have multiple people commenting with Bible verses and saying that I shouldn't drink as a Christian and that I drink excessively because I had posted a picture of alcohol two days in a row.....OH MY GOODNESS HOW DARE I DRINK TWO SHOTS WITH A FRIEND IN MY HOME!!!...call the pastor to come and pray for me because I'm going to Hell now regardless of the fact that I am a believer and work at a place for not much money because I feel that camp ministry is where He wants me, despite people telling me otherwise!!!...what are we going to do?!?!...sorry for the dramatics I just find it all a bit ridiculous....
This is a prime example of how taking things out of context isn't helpful in the least....now if I was posting daily pictures of alcohol and partying than maybe a few messages from brothers and sisters in Christ would be necessary, wise, and helpful, but I'm not doing that and again, I rarely drink!....Being a Christian is supposed to show in how I live my life and how I conduct myself, but that isn't any one's place to decide, but me and Jesus and so therefore, their "helpful" comments are unnecessary and just rude....I wish that more people read their Bible's and focused on improving THEIR relationship with Christ and not other people's. I love sharing what God is teaching me with others, and I believe that is what we are supposed to do. However, it should be done in a loving and respectful way, not in an attacking manner, and never in a way that suggests the other person is going to Hell, or that they can't be a Christian if they do whatever you are bringing to their attention...that'll get you nowhere....
I could say more, but I feel as if it'd just be rambling (although, that's pretty much what this whole post is anyways) so I'll end it now....I just had to get some of these thoughts off my chest. I pray that your 2016 is going well and that this post may help you in some small way regardless of it being all over the place. I promise to post a more well-written and thougtful post soon.
Until Next Time!<3Abi
I realize it's almost February and I have yet to post this year...shame on me, I know...but in my defense, my laptop crashed and so I'm currently typing this on a PC, I'm borrowing, that's connected to my TV...I've got wires everywhere and the keyboard on my lap...quite the sight I'm sure! haha! Anyways...moving on...
As Christians we are "related" to all other believers in the sense that we have all been adopted by Christ which is pretty amazing, if you ask me! As brothers and sisters in Christ we are called to encourage one another and call each other out on shortcomings, but the latter, I feel is often done in wrong and hurtful ways...and it's honestly, one of my biggest pet peeves. Some of you may think that it's probably only a pet peeve because I don't want to be convicted of my sin, but you couldn't be more wrong....sure, I'm human and sometimes I'm sure I get defensive over things that I shouldn't, but far too often so called friends of mine post articles on my statuses, or comment with Bible verses that are taken out of context and supposed to change my behavior that they imply is sending me to Hell which isn't how we are supposed to be calling each other out, AT ALL!
Again, I am only human and therefore could have this all wrong, but if I'm going to bring someones attention to something, I feel they need to change, I will first pray about it and not just jump down their throat, and also, I will do it PRIVATELY! Social media is a blessing, but sometimes people get so caught up in being right and having others see their "correct" opinion that they blast passive aggressive statuses and comments that serve no purpose, but starting unnecessary arguments. Debates are fine, if both parties are willing to hear the other out, but more often than not, it's just people trying to prove they know what God meant by such and such instead of trying to see all points of view presented....this is why I hate religion (see past blog post for explanation).
The most recent example I had of this was due to a photo I posted of alcohol on instagram....First off, I'm not going to get into whether or not you can drink and be saved...that'll be a post for another day...I am not an alcoholic...I seriously rarely drink...but because I had a friend with me and we are both newly 21, we got some small bottles of stuff to try, and since the memory on my phone is next to nothing and I wanted to remember which ones we liked, I posted them with a hashtag of "for future reference." Next thing I know, I have multiple people commenting with Bible verses and saying that I shouldn't drink as a Christian and that I drink excessively because I had posted a picture of alcohol two days in a row.....OH MY GOODNESS HOW DARE I DRINK TWO SHOTS WITH A FRIEND IN MY HOME!!!...call the pastor to come and pray for me because I'm going to Hell now regardless of the fact that I am a believer and work at a place for not much money because I feel that camp ministry is where He wants me, despite people telling me otherwise!!!...what are we going to do?!?!...sorry for the dramatics I just find it all a bit ridiculous....
This is a prime example of how taking things out of context isn't helpful in the least....now if I was posting daily pictures of alcohol and partying than maybe a few messages from brothers and sisters in Christ would be necessary, wise, and helpful, but I'm not doing that and again, I rarely drink!....Being a Christian is supposed to show in how I live my life and how I conduct myself, but that isn't any one's place to decide, but me and Jesus and so therefore, their "helpful" comments are unnecessary and just rude....I wish that more people read their Bible's and focused on improving THEIR relationship with Christ and not other people's. I love sharing what God is teaching me with others, and I believe that is what we are supposed to do. However, it should be done in a loving and respectful way, not in an attacking manner, and never in a way that suggests the other person is going to Hell, or that they can't be a Christian if they do whatever you are bringing to their attention...that'll get you nowhere....
I could say more, but I feel as if it'd just be rambling (although, that's pretty much what this whole post is anyways) so I'll end it now....I just had to get some of these thoughts off my chest. I pray that your 2016 is going well and that this post may help you in some small way regardless of it being all over the place. I promise to post a more well-written and thougtful post soon.
Until Next Time!<3Abi
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