“Write a shorter blog. Make them less serious. And, just so you know I only read your blog because you’re my friend. You should write them so that lots of people will want to read your posts, not just the people who like you.”
feedback I need to hear
This is the kind of feedback you want to hear on a good day, anything less could be devastating. I’d asked my friend, as we sat in the window of a local coffeehouse, what he thought of my blog. His statement above is just snip of the advice that came out of our highly caffeinated conversation.
He’s right, I thought, maybe not about all of it, but of most of it. He’s telling me information I need to hear.
little-gods of our lives
How does this happen? What I mean is, normally we roll through life, with our head in the clouds or stuck in the sand, never actually listening the advice people give us. We are 'grown-up-people', right? We often function like the little-gods of our lives. We make our own decisions. We decide our own fates. We know whether what we produce is quality or not. And we decide when to change it up, and when to leave it the same.
speaking truth into my life
And yet? What’s happening in the middle of my friend and I’s conversation is that I am being shaped for what God has called me to do. He’s speaking truth into my life in a way I need to hear it. “Why don’t you try this?” He says and pulls up an online project. “I mean, here’s what I like and I don’t. Here’s what works for me.” Every moment of our conversation I am learning. I’m being challenged. My desire to write is being developed by the reality of what I’m producing.
the long road of friendship
My friend is taking the long-road of friendship, which is to gently hold up a mirror for another person to see the truth of their lives.
a shaping community, centered on Christ
There was (and still is) a time when critique would crush me. As humans we don’t often like when people tells us a strong word. And yet, in this moment I am so thankful of my brother. He is sharing with me a kind of shaping community, centered on Christ, that pushes me to be more like I’m meant to be as I live out God’s kingdom in my everyday life.
May I suggest: you need a friend, who will also, tell you the truth.
*written by Abraham Bates - Photo by David Dean Photography - Copyright AbrahamBates.com
