When our heart's desire is to please our
Lord because we love Him,
there will be no time for second
thoughts or second opinions.
 

 

The Truth; Speaking it, Writing it, Living it, Facing it

 

Facebook has made it to the dictionary. Its' etymology is listed as 2004, which is the year Mark Zuckerberg founded thefacebook.com, Of course, the "the" was later dropped and we ended up with the Facebook most of us know (and many love) today. The definition of facebook is this: a publication for an organization, such as a school or business, which helps members identify each other; also, an on-line version of this, with profiles including a picture, name, birth date, interests, etc.
A detailed description of Facebook is this: Facebook is a social networking web site that is operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc.  Users can add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify friends about themselves. 
 
 
And notify they do indeed.   Upon logging in to your home page on facebook, that is if you have a home page,  you will find a lot of notifications, better known as statuses.  There are a lot of simple "Good morning" and "Goodnight friends."  There are notifications of what a person might be eating or drinking. There is the ever-popular on my way to .... wherever to might be.  There are always those who are cleaning or playing. There are photos of faces everywhere doing all kind of everyday things and not so everyday things. One such thing not so everyday thing is playing in the snow in North Mississippi where snow falling on our faces is not an everyday event, not even an every winter event. 
 
Since words are important to me, if I do ever take the time to post a "status" on Facebook I take the time to think about the words I post.  I think about how it sounds, how it will affect those who read it, and most importantly I make sure the words are true. When I write, even if it is just a status on Facebook, I try to make sure the words I write are words I would not be ashamed to speak to anyone face to face. They are words I truly try to live.
 
As a facebook user who is more of a spectator than a participant most days, the snow definitely added new life to my facebook home page. I loved seeing all the smiling faces with snowballs, snowmen, snow cream, and snow angels.  I admit on my snow day at home I did spend a little more time than usual on Facebook.  I found several were there with me that day who I usually don't see there often.  Even though those who you communicate with are classified as "friends" there are many who you haven't seen in years who you really don't know that well, but their posted words can make a difference.  Even though you can read a lot of useless, worthless information on Facebook, there is a lot that is worth reading.  On this particular snow day as I checked statuses and snow pictures, I saw one status that really made a difference in my day that day and continues to make a difference in my life today. There was a scripture posted, that I am sure I probably have read before, but didn't really get a lot from until this snowy day sitting in front of my computer looking at snow day statuses on facebook.
 
II Corinthians 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
 
Yes, that was the scripture that was posted, but no, that was not the life-changing scripture really. There was more.  I saw the word base in the verse and looked up the verse to study the word's meaning.  Base simply means lowly. So was Paul saying even though he might be lowly and humble speaking in person face to face, but in his writing to the people when he was away, he was bold?   I read more of the chapter which led to these words I write today.
 
At first glance, I found I had misinterpreted what Paul was saying.  It seems he had been falsely accused by false prophets while he was away. They said he was not really who said he was, said he was not the person in person that he seemed to be when he wrote his bold letters.
 
I have no idea what Paul's face looked like, but I am able to see how he lived his life by reading the words he wrote boldly.  Even though I never saw him I believe he was exactly who he said he was. These thoughts made me face the truth about my own life in a sense.
I, of course, am not Paul and am not comparing myself to Paul who was as we all know a great writer. We read his words often. But thinking of Paul being accused of not being who he said he was made me ask myself a few questions and face some facts.   Am I who I say I am always? Are my actions in person as bold as the words I write?  Do people judge me from the outward appearance and think I have nothing to say they would care to hear? Even though I am not given an opportunity very often to speak my words boldly to many faces I must make sure the words I speak to the few faces I see every day are as true as the words I write. More so I must make sure I am living the truth every day for all to see if they never hear me speak a single word or read a single word I have written.
 
The Truth... Let's face it....we must all make sure we speak it, write it and most importantly live it every day. For someday our status will say... "Today I met my Master face to face and...." How will our meeting with the Master go?  Below are the lyrics to an old hymn that should make us all make sure our status with Christ is all it should be.  The song asks the question "face to face what will it be?" Today as you live your life and state your status ask yourself that question. I pray when I meet Him face to face, He will say, "Well done."
 
Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to face—what will it be?
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ, Who died for me?

Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!

Only faintly now I see Him,
With the darkened veil between,
But a blessed day is coming,
When His glory shall be seen.

What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened,
And the dark things shall be plain. 

Face to face—oh, blissful moment!
Face to face—to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ Who loves me so.

Face to face I shall behold Him,
Far beyond the starry sky;
Face to face in all His glory,
I shall see Him by and by!
 
jbp