When I started my blog, more than six years ago now, I said my goal was to encourage those like me who are not activists but want to make a difference in the world by providing ideas and links to organizations worthy of support. That’s still my goal.
But as I spent time in my Bible this week, I came to this passage:
“Woe to you lawyers as well! For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers” (Luke 11:46)
It made me wonder if my blog was weighing people down. After all, I toss out lots of ideas of things you can do. I mention lots of charities that need money. But I myself certainly don’t practice them all or give to them all. In fact, I may not practice or give to most of them.
Does that make my blog a mill stone around the neck of readers, dragging them down with guilt? Does it make me a hypocrite who should heed the “woe” because I am not doing them all?
Today in my cryptogram was the following quote from Mother Teresa:
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
That’s what I want my blog to be doing. I want to be throwing skipping stones of ideas into the water of life that create ripples. Ripples that get a cool charity noticed. Ripples that encourage you to try one act of justice or kindness you might not have thought of. Ripples that get you thinking about a topic differently.
So tell me, do you find this blog to be a mill stone or a skipping stone? Is it drowning you or sending out ripples?
I just visited your blog for the first time today, Carol, and I can so identify with this post. As someone who authors a commonsense environmental and healthier living blog (because conservatives can be green, too!), I throw out lots of stuff, too. Don't use this product, stay away from this company, check your recalls, etc., etc. And, of course, I'm struggling along the journey as well. Getting info out there, doesn't mean we're perfectly following the path ourselves. When Paul wrote his epistles, he wasn't walking a pristine road…he had struggles, but it didn't keep him from exhorting the readers to strive for a better way.
From what I see, that is exactly what you are doing. As long as you are doing it with integrity and a heart for bettering this battered world, go for it. I'm sure you are effecting change…and for that you should be well-pleased.
Hana
Thanks, Hana, for visiting and for your encouragement and insight. I also believe that we can't all do everything, and the things I am doing might not be what God calls you to. So I try to give a variety of ideas in the hope that I can help others find their "one thing." But sometimes i worry that people think I am (or expect I should) do it all. Or that I am saying they should. It's hard to strike the balance of awareness that is life producing and that which is guilt producing! (It helps to hear you run into that on with your blog topic too.)
I spend my days fearing the word, "hypocrite!" When you take a stand for something, people just generally watch you a bit more closely. God forbid I'm "caught" carrying a couple plastic bags out of the grocery store (because, quite honestly, I occasionally need a couple)! We probably sense the microscope lens far more often then it is actually there.
That you're even asking the question answers the question, I think. The Pharisees didn't go around wondering if they were burdening the people with too many "shoulds" or rules. And I think anyone who knows you even a little bit would know your heart on this matter. People are going to think what they think. (I'm still learning that!) And, we have an Audience of one.
I enjoyed Hana's comment about being "caught" with plastic bags. I interviewed a nutritionist once who subscribed to the 80 percent healthy, 20 percent whatever you want rule of nutrition. People would question her cart contents if she was buying ice cream or chips or something. She said she wanted to scream, "That's my 20 percent!"
Glad you asked, but I don't think you have anything to worry about!
Thanks, Lisa, for your thoughts and the great illustration. I so want to encourage people to find the area of service where God has given them a heart and a passion, but that requires talking about a lot of issues since we are all different. I don't believe any of us can do them all. So I want each of us to choose the one God designed us for and live in his joy as we serve.