Comments on: There Goes the Twitterhood

By: Howie Simpson

Howie Simpson — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:09:56 +0000

Love it–it’s perfect! You wrote exactly what’s in my brain! We must be kindred spirits, or twins separated at birth, or something…I’m not a Twitterbug, but I recently got in HUGE trouble for something I posted on Facebook. I of course was just goofing off, but somebody chose to get offended, and I got told how horrible and ungodly and everything else that I am, and I actually thought I was in danger of losing my job…*sigh*…the world would be so much nicer without people in it! >:0)

I gotta be me, just gotta be me…..

By: Tyler

Tyler — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:27:37 +0000

I love the tension between ‘honesty’ and ‘responsibility’. As an artist, as a writer, as a Jesus-follower, as a man with a rudder-tongue, it’s an important and paint-wet line to walk. Thanks for caring about it and putting your own thoughts in to it instead of recycling unsatisfying fortune-cookie remedies regarding the weight of our words. As always, yours is a voice I lean in to hear.

By: Christopher.David

Christopher.David — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:23:49 +0000

As one in the missionary position, I can totally relate. I appreciate you putting this into words – I have been battling this for some time, and have even made public apologies on several occasions for something said, reposted, etc.

It has grown me tons as well.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:02:57 +0000

Well, what is there to say, really? You said it quite well and ever so eloquently as always. I was just thinking yesterday of this same thing and am glad you posted your thoughts on this subject. Delightful read Sam-something tasty to sink the teeth into. Perfect. And you are living up to how you want to be remembered.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:29:32 +0000

Perfect Sam, not only is it relevant but it’s just as I remember you all those long years ago when you were still in G-Town. Rock on dear friend!

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:13:27 +0000

I have mixed feelings on your position today.

I believe how easily someone is offended is in direct correlation with their spiritual growth. I think God calls us to have tender hearts but thick skins. The truth hurts sometimes, but we need to hear it. This would include having someone call us out when we are being a little too uptight.

With that said, I do believe that God does want us to be mindful of other people’s feeling, but not at the price of changing who He made us to be. Absolutely modify your vernacular around some people. It shows respect. But don’t ever try to modify yourself. God will make you who He wants you to be.

I have virtually no filter between my brain and my mouth so I am intimately acquainted with this topic of offending. I find it much easier to filter my thoughts than my mouth and controlling what I think about seems to keep me out of trouble most of the time.

Your “salty” or “colorful” personality revealing itself now and again may just be the thing that someone else can really identify with. And if God is accessible to the “colorful” side of you, it means that God is accessible to them too.

Great post today! I love that you are writing again.

EK :)

By: Staci

Staci — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:31:27 +0000

“I need a personality i can wear in public” Brilliant! Can i use that in a song!?

Seriously, I struggle with this a lot, both here and on Facebook, where I have a combination of friends, acquaintances, and others who only know me from the music I put out. I love your admission that it’s sometimes torture to self-censor–I feel that too! But self-censor we must. It’s not an intimate dinner party, this social networking community…although we all probably see tweets and posts from folks who think of it as such. I’m one who happens to share your opinion.

Thanks for articulating it so well!

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:48:11 +0000

Thanks Derek! The Romans 14 thing sat in a draft of this for a week and I just couldn’t back it up as an honest personal motivation. The tension between “Biblical truth” and what works for me makes living out this Christian life an art.

By: Derek

Derek — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:14:26 +0000

Sam –

Such a great post, and something that’s been weighing on my thoughts in the past month or so.

I love this argument because it’s not the “in deference to the weaker brother” argument. It doesn’t transfer all responsibility to the delicate sensibilities of others (“well, if they don’t like what I’m saying, then it’s their problem”); rather, it assumes the burden of wanting to change, of wanting to refine and reshape the personality and character we present to those who share life with us.

I’m going to recommend this post to all my ministry friends who use Twitter. Thanks so much, Sam.