Hypocrites...

Facebook is an interesting creature. It really depends on how much you want to put into it. If you ignore it, it will pretty much ignore you. If you are psycho obsessed with it (writer inadvertently raises hand) it will become psycho obsessed with you. The more you are on it, the more places it will take you.

I have to admit, with this broken foot I am on Facebook much more than I need to be. I kind of have this feeling that since I can't do anything (oh, like walk across the room, at least, easily) I just don't want to do anything at all. Certainly I am capable of doing many things, even with a broken foot, I am just allowing laziness to take over my life.

So Facebook...I found a link from Mornings with Brant to a blog about something the writer had heard on the show. Since I have *nothing* else to do, I follow along and read. I didn't actually hear the show, but since I frequently listen to it online I am aware of the typical Brant rhetoric. The topic was moral hypocrisy. This author talked about the sort of double life that we lead. We are major advocates of the awareness of some particular injustice, and yet we find our own selves practicing that injustice in some form or another.

I found myself sort of slapped in the face that morning. I have been realizing that as I write on this blog about how to effectively disciple children and be super spiritual parents, to a degree I am avoiding those duties myself. We go time and time without actually picking up her Bible and reading it. I get really frustrated and tired and don't discipline the right, godly way. In fact I end up yelling. GASP.

We have this book, by Mem Fox (my favorite), Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild. My daughter thinks it is fun to replace her name with Harriet's. I don't.  Harriet's mom ends up yelling at her, and really it is the dog's fault. I really don't like it because I really yell at my daughter when it is probably the dog's fault. Harriet's mom doesn't like to yell, but she did, and it probably happens more often than she likes too.

Lately, I've been reading about David. I think he is probably one of my favorite Bible characters. Maybe because I identify with him a little bit. I mean, no one thinks about David and doesn't think about Bathsheba. But they also remember that David was a man after God's own heart. And God favored David. So ya, I'm ok with being identified with David. Anyway, twice in only a few chapters of 2 Samuel, David is confronted with his hypocrisy. The first is of course the issue with Bathsheba. Nathan confronts him with his sin by telling a story of a poor man, a rich man, and an ewe. David is outraged and shouts a punishment for this rich man, in which Nathan turns and uncovers David's sin.

The second account is lesser known.

One of David's sons lusts after his daughter, Tamar. He concocts a plan to sleep with her, and then hates her after she has been defiled. Absalom, the brother of Tamar takes vengeance on this rapist, and kills him. Absalom then runs off to another country for safety. For years Absalom is banished. Joab, David's general and advisor convinces David to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, but David still refuses to see him. They hire a woman to make up a story of an injustice in her family in which she will be left childless. When David gives her his judgment, she questions his own actions with his son Absalom.

You see, even the best of men, even those who truly desire to follow God in their hearts have issues with hypocrisy. I'm not saying it is ok. But isn't it better to be aware of the truths of rights and wrongs and trying to discern wisdom from them, than to be totally ignorant of the truth?

I think that it is a constant struggle everyone will face. The trials of overcoming our iniquities are what make us stronger and more resilient to them.

The key of being a David rather than a Pharisee is repentance. Repentance means stopping what you are doing and turning from it. David confessed his sin and repented from it and God favored him.

My mom questions whether people actually read my blog. Whether they do or not, I have realized, the point of blogging is mostly personal development. For me, it is putting what I have learned, or aspire to do, in print. Printing it online gives me somewhat of an accountability, more so than in a private journal.

You see, I feel like I need to print my inadequacies so that 1. my readers understand that I am not perfect and am still struggling to find the right answers and 2. I have accountability for my own personal growth.

I guess that means a little less Facebook and a little more family books. ;)