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{Smaller Bloggers} Are We Partial to Partiality?

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I read a passage this week that, despite being recorded way before the age of computers, seems  totally written to us bloggers. Will ya’ll forgive me a liberal paraphrase?

“Dear blogging sisters, don’t be partial! For, if a well-known blogger with a professional head shot and a custom graphics visits your blog, and you fawn over them, responding to their comment and following up on twitter and facebook, and–that same day–a smaller blogger, maybe someone you’ve never even heard of, visits your blog, and you don’t even take the time to respond, aren’t you showing partiality—playing favorites? You are judging someone’s worth by their online presence, and this. is. so. wrong.”

How’d I do? Did you recognize James 2: 1-3? Are you as convicted as I am? 

See—I’m the chief of sinners in this area. I inventory outward appearances and rank a person’s worth faster than you can type your favorite password. Whether online or in real life, I am quick to don the gown and wig of a judge and sentence people with my indifference if they don’t meet my standard.

But did you catch that—this makes me a judge. And James goes on to say that judging, or partiality, is a SIN, just like murder and adultery.

Ooops.

Guess we’d better deal with this.

I believe us smaller bloggers get caught in the trap of partiality so easily because we’re stuck on quantifying our own validity and worth. Instead of resting in the calling God has given us, and willingly embracing our impact to whomever comes our way, we measure, gauge and compare, and generally use those same spectacles to set a value on the bloggers around us.

Here are my steps to setting down our judge’s gavel and seeing our fellow bloggers from the right perspective.

  • Call it what it is. Partiality and judging are a sin—not just a distasteful habit. We need to repent and confess, sisters. Good news is, though He is the true judge, He delights to show mercy. He will be faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all our ungracious self-centeredness.
  • See ourselves as Christ sees us. He has appointed us not as judges but as servants. We must ask Him to plant our true calling deep in our hearts to give us the proper foundation for how we view and interact with each other online–and in real life!
  • See our fellow bloggers as Christ sees them. In your mind, strip that big blogger of all her perfect tweets, her gorgeous blog design and her huge platform. And do your other friend the same favor—overlook the blurry avatar, grammar glitch, and lack of a custom domain. Zoom in on their heart–that’s what God says really counts.

Will you join me, sisters? Let’s ignore the jewels and fine robes of the online world (<—Tweet this!) and embrace each other as Christ does–without partiality. Then we’ll be free to focus on what brings us together—our passions and our love for God–and fellowship and work together for His kingdom.

How can we live this out practically, gals? Please share your thoughts in the comments!

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Comments

  1. Great post, Trina, and a good reminder that we’re part of an online COMMUNITY. Everyone should be made to feel welcome and included. Personally, I follow a lot of blogs but never had a big name blogger visit my site. I’d probably have a heart attack if they did 😉

    •  I’ve only experienced it a few times myself, enough to realize the contrast in my response to them! That’s when I realized that if I wanted to build community on my blog, I needed to quit judging people by size.

  3. I’m actually more excited when a friend who never comments on blogs, takes the time to comment! 

  4. As a smaller-blogger with no technical ability, no money to hire someone but a heart to write… I love many things about this post.

    The thing to remember, is that its actually an insult to the bigger blogger as well, when you place them above the others. Because it is evident and obvious that you are only interested in what they can do for you. 

    My hope, my prayer, as I write, is that the people who read will be the people who need the words that I offer.  Not that I will find the people I “need” to make my blog bigger or better.  <– not that I don't fall for this at times. But it's not my prayer!

    •  Natasha, loved your insight that putting a big blogger on a pedestal is actually an insult. Bigger bloggers don’t want to be judged by their stats any more than smaller bloggers!

  5. Interesting. I don’t think I show partiality. I try to respond to all comments either by email or on my blog. But you have given me something to be careful of. I have found I receive more paritality from bigger bloggers than smaller ones, or at least that’s how it feels. But what really do I expect when Id are to leave a comment when I am 1 out of 266? LOL They couldn’t possibly respond to all.

    •  Stacey, I think that how we respond to comments on our blog is just one way that partiality plays out. I also see partiality affecting how I engage in social media, and what blogs I decide to follow. But I’m learning so much about true community from the Allume gals, it’s been life changing.

  6. I’ve sometimes thought that the blogging community kind of reminds me of high school.  There are the popular kids and the kids that nobody ever notices.  

    • there is a lot of truth in that.  i just got back from the festival of faith and writing, and it was so very good to focus on the craft of writing and honoring God without all the tweeting, buzz, and celebrity in/out aspect.

      trina, thanks for the reminder to not show partiality. good stuff here.

      • Amen to both you gals. I’m convicted about the tweeting and buzzing. There’s a delicate balance between building an online presence and not letting it become my focus. Hopefully my scales are becoming more flat and even.

    •  I totally agree. There are very popular blogs that I visit and more often than not the blogger would respond to their friends or a friend blogger and no so much the others.. Just what I see. I am a blogger and try not to be this way and so far so good. <3 I want to treat people the way Christ treats me. All grace. All love. All merciful.

  7. Okay, Trina, so the more I read your writing and get to know you, the more I adore you.  You speak truth right into my soul and challenge me to become the woman God intended, in areas I didn’t even know He was working.  Thanks!

    •  thanks for your encouragement, Lisa! I love that we can be on this journey together.

  8. Great points, Trina!  Love how you used the passage in James to make a compelling point.  I am indeed so thankful for our merciful God.  I hope that you will keep writing and faithfully sharing your words!

  9. I love this post!  As a smaller blogger, it can intimidating to be amongst some of the bigger bloggers.  I have “met” many bloggers who have done an amazing job at bringing me in and helping me grow, but at the same time, there are some out there who come across as unwilling to comment or chat with you – and it seems like it’s because I’m not “big enough”.  They show partiality to other bigger bloggers.  As a smaller blogger, it is my sincere hope that as I grow that I will not show partiality to smaller blogs or bigger blogs – and that my purpose for blogging doesn’t get lost in the process.

  10. That happened to me and I’m guilty.  Only of the fawning reply to his comment.  Oh yeah, and I gushed a bit on the comments of his blog.  *hanging head in shame*  but, I didn’t twitter stalk him.  🙂

  11. I don’t *think* I have a problem with this…I’m just grateful when someone responds to one of my posts, or pleased when I find a blogger that I can resonate with on some level!

    Perhaps growing up in SoCal, where friends were stars and everyone knew someone in the movie business made me value the person and not the position? That was long before I knew Jesus and His great love for you and me, even more reason to love the least of these.

    I will pray that God shows me if I have a problem with this though, because I could see where it could keep me from being used by Him.

    My hope is that I’ll keep cheering for the underdog, encouraging the lonely souls out there, making friends, not fans…

  12. Great great words!  Thanks for sharing this, I’ll be keeping an eye open for it in my life!

  13. Thanks for putting into words what I’ve been trying to avoid, but was unsure exactly what it was.  I knew I needed to take care with my responses and attitude, but wasn’t sure what to call it.  Partiality is exactly that thing!

  14. I love what you said her and how you applied it to scripture.  Hoping people can see past  my small numbers.

    hamershappenings.blogspot.com

  15. How timely… I just completed a study in James. Never even considered the link to my blogging but you are dead on with this commentary. Thank you for illuminating James’ writing a little more for me today.  

  16. ‘Resting in the calling God has given us, and willingly embracing our impact to whomever comes our way,’ is what we, as Christian bloggers, need to pray for. And contentment! 
    Even though I’m a ‘smaller blogger,’ I’ve received e-mails and comments from my readers telling me that my blogging, my story, has made an impact in their lives. To me, truly touching just one person makes it worth it and makes me a success. 

  17. OK I think God is trying to tell me something…..this is the second post I’ve read this morning that had a reference to James. I just started a study on James. Guess I better dig a little deeper.

    By the way, I really enjoyed this post. Such profound truth!

    Thanks for sharing your heart.

  18. Beautiful post.  May we, as being sisters in Christ, gather together and lift the King up for all to see.  Let’s be so intentional and focused to share His good news until the whole earth hears.  There’s strength in numbers!

  19. I totally love how you hit the nail on the head. Another terrific post. Thanks, Trina! 

    As much as I love it, sometimes it feels like social media (blogs, fb, twitter) have added another realm in which to sin! I can’t name the number of times I felt angry (hurt,sad) because I perceived that I had been somehow slighted by another blogger or friend on facebook who probably never even gave it a thought. 

    Where is God’s love??? The touchy, fretful, and resentful that can rise up in me without any actual conflict having occurred is unbelievable! I actually just wrote about that today.  Because my feelings having been hurt, I try to be extra sensitive, but I suppose it’s possible that a friend/another blogger has been hurt by my lack of awareness about something that really mattered to them.

    Thanks again for bringing our internal lives to the forefront of the issue!

    • Hi Michelle, your comment about “another realm for sin” rings in my ears. I’m finding it to be a balancing act: keeping perspective (and doing all things as unto Him) and trying to build whatever platform He wants me to have. 

      It’s hard when you pour your heart and soul into studying the Word, communicating a truth in a way that’s fresh and compelling, and then only a handful of people read it (and even fewer actually respond).

      I have to constantly remind myself that I write for an audience of ONE and I cast the bread of my message onto the waters of cyberspace and trust Him with it. Some days that’s easier said than done 🙂

  20. I love the book of James, but had never applied it to blogging.  I also don’t have a lot of readers – and even less who comment that I don’t know, but I think I could easily fall into the trap of wanting a well known blogger to read my blog.  I just love it when people comment at all 🙂

  22. We just finished James in our Bible Study a couple of weeks ago. It never occurred to me to apply that passage to blogging, but it does apply to us as Christians and how we conduct ourselves regardless of the situation. I’m pretty green when it comes to the blogosphere- I don’t tweet, i do fb, and email. I like reading blogs because i’m never too old to learn something and i enjoy the craft of writing so much, gee, i’d read an advertisement if there was nothing else to read! I hope that as I continue to learn about blogging I don’t stumble all over the place; because I too look at the numbers just because i’m human and we all want validation in the end don’t we?  I love Shelly’s comment about high school – and I love the part about zooming in on their heart. This was good for me to read and makes me accountable for my online behavior! Thanks, Trina!

  25. I try very hard to either comment back or visit the blog of every single person who comments on my posts. I think it is not only proper etiquette, but you never know whom that person can turn into. It could very well be your next best friend for life. 

  26. Excellent post! I have long been a fan of James, and I believe your “paraphrase” was a great way to apply the passage. One thing I would add (I don’t think I saw anyone say this in the comments yet) is that we should also be careful about going the opposite direction in partiality. Whether the Lord opens up the way for interaction with “the big guys” or “the little guys”, may we treat each one as another beloved sinner in need of a Saviour, as a (potential or already) light for Christ in a dark world. We are fellow-laborers, and wherever/whenever Christ calls us, that is where we should be!

    By the way, I am definitely “a little guy”, lol, but I have also been enjoying the wide opportunity for interaction on social media, especially Twitter.  🙂 In my experience, the “little guys” tend to be more open to new interactions (not always, of course, but as a rule).  Probably the time factor, like was already pointed out. 

    Let’s just be sure we’re connected to the *real* “Big Guy”! 😉

  27. Oh, I so feel you on this. I’ve been blogging for a little over five years and I’m not really successful in the way some big bloggers are. But I have made a few good friends over the years and that is enough for me. I get upset when I look at my stats so I’ve been trying not to look at all. But it’s hard not to. It’s hard not to want to “keep up.”

    I always “keep it real” on my blog though and those posts always get the most reaction from my audience.

    • molly, thanks for reminding us – it’s not size that should make one satisfied with their blog. It sounds like you’ve achieved your goals in blogging. I agree – just ignore those numbers, dear 🙂

  29. This was so what I needed to hear! Thanks for your wisdom. I feel sometimes like my posts need to be pretty little packages all wrapped up with a bow, but if they are not that’s okay. Thanks for helping me realize it’s okay to be me in my blog. 

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