BitterSweetLife

A potential downside of blogging is that it could “pull you away from real life.” However, I’m not overly concerned about this, since most hobbies pose the same danger—given that real life is not what we typically make it out to be: the car, the job, the house, etc.

Real life is about engagement, first with God, and then with anyone and everyone nearby. I’m convinced that someone who walks closely with Christ will tend “naturally” (supernaturally, really) to be involved in the lives of other people. Of course, there is the nagging problem of our sin nature to deal with.

But Christ is stronger than sin. Walk with Jesus, and you find yourself walking with other people, and wishing that you could when you find yourself isolated.

Also worth noting, though, is that a bias for engagement doesn’t rule out the “sessions of sweet, silent thought” (Shakespeare) that even Jesus found necessary for the health of his soul. This typically paradoxical: We Christians must have a penchant for relationship, knowing that our spiritual vitality ultimately depends on “solitary” pleasure in the presence of God.

Sweet solitude with Christ precludes real community with anyone else.

And now, here’s the post that kicked off this one: Camille’s Introversion (which sounds good to me).