Like in most areas of life, pride can easily creep in to blogging, and can poison what has been a good thing. I speak from experience.I thought I'd list some ways that this can happen- ways it's happened for me, and ways I've seen it happen elsewhere. I just reckon it's something important to be aware of, because pride is one of those sins that can go under the radar. It's not hard to disguise it, or keep it hidden, which only allows it to grow like a choking weed.
So here's my list of examples, stuff to keep an eye out for-
1. Checking your statistics too often
2. Scanning 'shared item' lists for links to your own posts
3. Navigating away in a bad mood when you don't find any
4. Not writing a new post because nobody commented on your last one
5. Taking a blog break, not because you're too busy, but because you haven't been getting as many comments as you'd like
6. Accidentally on purpose dropping things into posts to make yourself look good. "So a funny thing happened to me yesterday, when I was on the way to the florist (to buy a dozen roses for my wife, which I do every second Tuesday)..."
7. Not commenting anymore because you didn't get a reply to your last comment
8. Comparing your blog to other blogs
9. Writing a supposed 'encouraging' Bible reading post, only when you are going well. "What have you been reading? I've been reading Isaiah, Exodus, Job, Matthew and Hebrews this morning. After having prayed for missionaries from 2am to 6am. Isn't God great?" Subtext: "Isn't God almost as great as ME?"
10. Writing lists about pride while picturing other bloggers, rather than yourself.
10 comments:
Hey Ben, what a helpful list, thanks for posting this. I felt myself relating to quite a few of them. They're good things to keep a check on.
p.s. did you see Bear eat that hideous worm that exploded in his mouth this week?
Thanks, Christine.
Doh! I missed M vs.W last night-- that sounds particularly awesome.
By the way, thanks for your effort with the Neighbour Day stuff, it was really good.
thanks Ben, was a good start for us as a church, now to keep thinking and refining and connecting..
Hahaha - no. 9. Oh, that one makes me ill when I hear it especially as I hear the second subtext of "and aren't you just so NOT as great.
Preach it brother. I hope you were thinking of me when you wrote 10.
Yep. And 1-9 as well.
Yeah.
Yep, I can relate - need this rebuke regularly.
By the way, how do you go about "scanning shared items"? (kidding - don't want to go there, struggle enough with the other ones)
Great post - one which we can all associate with and one you should be very proud of (if that's still ok?).
Thanks Julie. Let your mind rest, when I said 'scan' I just meant look.
Thanks dvm, and thanks for stopping by
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