I have to make a confession today. What I’d like to confess is that I want this blog only to be used for the glory of Jesus Christ and to lift Him up. What I’d like to confess is that I don’t want to use this blog to spread my name. But, what I’m confessing is actually the exact opposite. My human nature is fighting, fighting with the fact that I know I need to give up my thoughts of spreading the word about what I write. My human nature is fighting the fact that when I look at my stats and see them rising I know that it shouldn’t matter. My human nature is fighting pride.
God’s Name or Our Name?
Especially as bloggers – we tend to do what we can to build our followers, promote our blogs, trade links, whatever – but why? Are we truly doing it so that God’s glory can be known and exalted through our blogs – or are we doing it so that our name can be known? I don’t know about you, but I am fearful that there will be a constant struggle for me as I write and continue to make new acquaintances that I will want more and more to promote myself.
I pray that God is always rightly exalted through me and that I would continue to decrease while He continues to increase.
I guess I just wanted to confess this to the world today, ask for prayer – and encourage us all to keep things in perspective. Is it wrong to want to promote ourselves? If it’s under the guise of “oh – I’m doing this so that Jesus will be lifted up” but really, deep down we just want ourselves promoted – yes, I think it’s wrong. If we truly have the desire to lift Jesus up more than anything, maybe not.
What About You?
So, those of you who are bloggers out there – what do you do to remain humble? Are you justifying self-promotion because “it’s all about Jesus” but it’s really all about you? For me, thankfully, God used a couple of different circumstances to say, “Hey, Ryan, slow down – this is about me, not you.” And it was right when I needed it. God’s Word says,
Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5) as well as
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)
My prayer, for all of us, is that we would have humility and wisdom before everything else.
