A little less than two weeks ago I became aware of a contest on Circle of Moms where you could vote for the top 25 faith blogs on the web. Those that placed in the top 25 would have exposure to about 6,000 moms. Even though I am still a new, small blog, I thought it would be fun to participate. So I signed up and started asking you all to help me out by voting daily. At the top of the list were some of my favorite, most encouraging blogs. A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Time Warp Wife, Women Living Well and Muthering Heights. Homemaker By Choice, Generation Cedar, and Far Above Rubies I also love. And there are several other faithful blogs (like The Chuppies )that are excellent encouragements for us in the list. But, I noticed there were some pagan blogs in there too, and thought that very sad.
With my tiny blog I have been really pleased with how far I have gotten in the contest, being as new as I am. While getting into the top 25 is not very probable, even the thought of having the ability to reach 6,000 moms was very exciting. But, I have also seen how quickly my heart goes out in carnal desire for the preeminence. I am naturally a very competitive person. These things can look spiritual (“think of the ministry I could have”) can also be a cloak for self- exaltation. So I must be very careful, it is a two edged sword.
But, something has happened. A simple little contest has now became a competition between good and evil. Pagans, witches and other “faiths” have come out of the woodwork and risen quickly to the top slots. Some of these anti-Christian blogs joined the contest and within a few days were ousting these sweet, encouraging, Christ-honoring blogs. Some of these beautiful Christian blogs decided to pull out not wanting to be a part of such a mixture of what some are calling “faith”. They have received great flack for their stands against such evil. I respect and applaud their stand for Christ and the truth. Other godly blogs have stayed in desiring to be a shining light amidst the darkness. I also honor them for their testimonies in such an evil day. This “innocent” little competition has risen to a greater level. There has been a furor of comments on facebook and blog posts and it has become quite the controversy.
So the question comes in, what is “faith”? Faith is not any belief that you hold to be true. Faith is not holding on to the fact that things will be ok in difficult times. Faith is not a belief in any kind of religion you want to believe. Faith is not what Circle of Moms says it is when they say, “Faith is all around us, and it comes in many different forms. This group of exceptional moms nurtures both their families and their faiths to create homes filled with love.” No, Hebrews tell us what true faith is in the 11th chapter:
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.”
According to the scriptures Jesus is the ONLY way…
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
The Lord also says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
There is only one God and only one way to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Anyone that denies this is not walking in the truth. Is this intolerance? Yes, you might say it is, but the scriptures are no less so. The scriptures leave no room for creating gods of our own making. And this goes for those that call themselves Christians by name but depart from the teachings of the Savior as well. If we make there to be any way to the Father but Jesus Christ we are the enemy of Christ.
But, lest I be misunderstood, I want to clarify that we are called to love. Not to love and tolerate the works of darkness, not to allow for compromise, but to stand firm in the faith while loving these ones who deny the truth. Jesus loved the unlovely, I being one of the chief unlovely ones. So I will love those that do not believe the scriptures. I will love those knowing that apart from the Lord’s work in my heart, I would shake my fist at Him. It is only Him that has drawn me to His truth. I will love them and pray for them. I will seek to show Jesus’ love to them. And in so doing, pray for the spread of my Savior’s good news!
If I had it to do over again I am not sure I would have entered into the contest over at Circle of Moms, because of their view on what faith is…their accepting of all different faiths. I would rather see a top 25 Christian blog list. And I have sought direction from my dear husband through all of this as to what my position should be. At his counsel, I am going to stay in the contest as of right now, because we are to be a light in a dark world. Maybe someone will come to my blog that needs the encouragement of Jesus today. Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4) But, other than the button on my sidebar, I will not be soliciting for votes anymore. I will not be actively seeking to gain popularity.
I love what Spurgeon says when he was once asked, “How do you defend the Bible?” “Very easy” he responded. “The same way I defend a lion. I simply let it out of its cage.” The Lord has already won the victory and his truth shall reign!
My flesh would love to be one of the “popular” blogs that I so admire. But, if I can influence even one woman to press on in following after the Lord, then all is well. My “calling” is not this blog. How many viewers is not my measure of success. Yes, I love to write to you, I love your comments more than you know. But, my calling is first to be a faithful Christian, godly wife second, and diligent mother. If I am obedient in these things, through the grace of Christ then and only then have I succeeded.
