Two of this week's writing prompts immediately brought a "no, thanks" response:
January 14 - Head
to your favorite online news source. Pick an article with a headline
that grabs you. Now, write a short story based on the article.
January 15 - “It’s never a good idea to discuss religion or politics with people you don’t really know.” Agree or disagree?
Unfortunately, the headlines these days are not worth reading, much less writing about. I'm spending less and less time reading even conservative news these days because it's all so negative. Of course that negativity is usually about politics!
Am I a chicken for avoiding these subjects? Maybe. Do I have opinions about these subjects? Absolutely. But just because I have an opinion doesn't mean I need to share it. Jesus said in Matthew 10:16, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible said, "I send you, inoffensive and harmless, into a cold, unfriendly, and cruel world. Your innocence will not be a protection. Probably the thing in which Christ directed his followers to imitate the serpent was in its caution in avoiding danger. No animal equals them in the rapidity and skill which they evince in escaping danger. So said Christ to his disciples, You need caution and wisdom in the midst of a world that will seek your lives. He directs them, also, to be harmless, not to provoke danger, not to do injury, and thus make their fellow-men justly enraged against them."
John Gill's Exposition of the Bible said, "The serpent is a very sharp sighted, cunning creature, and uses various arts and stratagems for its own preservation, and especially of its head; and is so far to be imitated by the followers of Christ, as to make use of all proper methods to preserve themselves from the insults and rage of men, and not expose themselves to unnecessary dangers: and, as much as in them lies, they should be careful to give no just occasion of offense, or irritate, and provoke them to use them ill, and to avoid all snares and traps that are laid for them; and, at the same time, maintain the innocence and harmlessness of the dove, being free from all wicked cunning and craftiness, without rancour, malice, and wrath; not meditating and seeking revenge, but meek and humble in their deportment, leading inoffensive lives, and proceeding in the course of their calling, though liable to many insults, and much oppression."
I have used this particular example several times on my blog. It's more than just a cute little story, I really believe it's an important way to live:
Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything,wrote in the sand:"Today my best friend slapped me in the face."
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:"Today my best friend saved my life."
The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"
The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."
Learn to write your hurts in the sand, and to carve your benefits in stone.
~ Author Unknown
This blog is my stone. When someone hurts me, I won't be writing it
here. You won't find my political views here. If you want my opinion, you'll need to ask me face to face because hot topics can easily be misunderstood and twisted on the world wide web.
The Apostle John wrote in 3 John 13-14, ""I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face."
Writing with pen and ink
cannot compare to speaking face to face. Body language, voice
inflection, and so much more is lost on paper or screen. The
"conversation" is one way, with no way to respond, defend or diffuse.
It's easy to send a text
message, but not so easy to clean up the mess that may follow. It's
easy to hide behind a keyboard, but the wise Apostle John knew that
speaking face to face was the higher road.
