THE BLOGGERS OF BABEL

Bloggers, speakers, writers...I think there's a word for us in the story of the Tower of Babel.

Because there once was one language, one speech in the world.  But then the people started plotting.  They'd build an impressively high brick tower that reached to the heavens, they'd decided, "so that we may make a name for ourselves" (Genesis 11:4).

And how did God respond to those who sought to make a name for themselves?

He confused their SPEECH.  Their words were what He targeted.  No longer were their utterances effective.   And they were scattered all over the earth.


As someone whose passion is the expression of God's Word through blogging, speaking, and writing, I feel an urgency to take notice of this because--and maybe you can relate--this can all too easily shift from prayerfully putting out a word to minister, challenge, and encourage, to getting all jumbled up in numbers, blog traffic, followers, and analytics.  


Yes, I hope people come to read.  I hope they come to hear.  I write and speak out of obedience to God but I hope the words mean something to someone.  We share our words because we hope there will be impact, and there's nothing wrong with that. 


But it can very easily cross over into a "Let us make a name for ourselves" kind of thing.  Our blogs or our teachings can become this impressively-high-brick-tower kind of thing that we look at with great pride, believing somehow we have made it ourselves.  Self-promotion kicks in, and we find ourselves fed by others' responses to our words.

I wonder how many people whose (written or spoken) words that used to come across clearly are now less effective...

Simply because it became about making a name for themselves.

LORD, I feel great caution in this story.   Turn my heart so that I hunger for YOUR name to be made great rather than mine.  Isaiah 26:8 keeps running through my head this morning: "YOUR name and renown are the desire of our hearts."  Keep the ministry of our words safe and effective as we seek to elevate YOUR name.  Forgive me for the times I've tried to make a name for myself.