Curt Seaburg.com

Oh Be Careful Little Fingers What You ... TYPE

When I was a kid, I remember my mom singing the old song, “Oh be careful little feet, where you go … for the Father up above …”  And then she would replace “feet” with “hands” and then “eyes” and then “mouth.”  Hmm.  She would always sing that one while looking at me out of the corner of her eye. 

I think today, in the social media driven culture we are in, my mom (if she was techy) would sing … “Oh be careful little fingers what you type …” 

Pete Wilson blogged about this guy in Detroit about a guy who worked for a PR firm that was helping run the twitter account for Chrysler and he accidentally tweeted from the Chrysler account thinking he was tweeting from his personal account. On the wrong account he said…

“I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the Motor City yet no one here knows how to f—ing drive.”

Not only was the guy fired immediately, but the next day Chrysler actually dumped the whole agency.

It got me thinking. I know that everyone has a different strategy for their blogs, twitter and facebook. Many people see social media as a platform to get even with people and businesses when they under perform.

I understand that this is a new way for people to gather the latest information and opinions.

However, out of all of my tweets,  I’ve never tweeted a negative word about another person, business, company or city that I remember (I’m sure someone will take the time to actually go through all of them and prove me wrong).

It’s not that I haven’t thought it…I just haven’t tweeted it.

• I’ve been frustrated at certain restaurants.
• I’ve been angry with the service of certain airlines.
• I’ve wanted to burn down a few hotels with a nasty tweet.
• I’ve thought about firing off a passive aggressive tweet or two when someone ticks me off.

But I generally try to refrain.

There is a certain weight to our words.

Proverbs 15:4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

I would also say the “blog” or the “twitter” or the “facebook” that brings healing is a tree of life.

There is an element of power in our words and it’s not accidental. Our Creator has shaped our hearts and souls to be impacted by the words of others.  It’s part of your design.

I’m not even going to pretend to understand this spiritual principle, but you certainly can’t ignore it. The words that come out of our mouth or through our typing fingers float through the air and land on souls impacting the course and direction of their life.

GOD HAS DESIGNED THE HUMAN SOUL WHERE YOUR WORDS WILL EITHER DESTROY OR BUILD UP ONE ANOTHER.

It’s a free country. I love that you can tweet whatever the heck you want to. Just don’t ever think that your words don’t have an impact.

They do.

And more than you could ever imagine.

Have you ever found yourself wishing you could take some words back?

4 Amazing Stories - How our series NAKED TRUTH has impacted people

    Behind every set of eyes, there is a story.  Here are four of them:

Hello PC,

I want to thank you for having consistently real and effective services.   I’m thinking my grandparents (if they were alive) would freak if I told them the last 3 Sundays were about porn, adultery, and physical abuse.  This is a life changing church and we’re so glad we’re part of it.  You’re doing a great job.

Thank you

 Pastor Curt,

I just had to tell you what an amazing weekend it was at your church.  Whenever I visit PA the one thing I look forward to on Sundays is visiting Victory Church.   You have actually given me a new outlook on what church is.   It can be fun, you can get a strong message and not be bored, you can feel uplifted when you leave.    I've recently found one in Maine (where she is from)  that I feel is of similar style to yours and I'm enjoying this whole journey developing my relationship with God.   I'm very new at this, but I see what it can do for my sister and her family and I'm enjoying the journey.    I can honestly say that if it were not for Victory Church and you as a pastor I still would not be going to church.     You never know who is in your audience and paying attention even if they aren't members of your church or from your area and I wanted to say thank you.

On a side note, will you be posting the video of this past Sunday's service on your website?  The message that Sarah Kelly shared is so strong I wanted to share it with some of my friends.

 PC,

This weekend with Sarah Kelly in the house has been a God moving time.  Between her concert on Sat. night and her testimony Sunday, God sure has used her in some miraculous ways.  I also come from an abusive marriage of twelve years.  To listen to her in her songs and words has done quite a number on me.  I came home from church today and the tears just haven’t stopped flowing.  They were coming pretty freely when 2nd service started too.  The walls it took 13 years for me to build, started to crumble and fall down today.  Glory to God!!!   I talked to her just a little bit after first service and she gave me some words that I will carry forever with me.  She has helped me to realize my freedom in Christ....Thank you to her and to you and Pam!!!    Deliverance, glorious deliverance....Thank  you Jesus for dying to set us free....

Love your sister in Christ,

 PC,

I am enjoying the new sermon series, NAKED TRUTH, Thank You for allowing God to speak through you on such a sensitive topic as adultery.  I agree, my temporary discomfort of remembering what I know God has forgiven and forgotten is worth even one marriage being saved.

From my own experience I believe it's especially important that women know that this isn't just a "Man Thing" it is so easy for us to get caught up as well. The devil is no respecter of persons when he is looking for his prey, and he makes it so hard to see the consequences of your actions when you are so wrapped up in selfishness. That it's so much easier to fix one person (yourself) rather than fix so many broken hearts and relationships later. How much easier life would be now if I would have acknowledged the baby steps that I was taking back then, but I know God is faithful and He is bringing healing, restoration, and forgiveness to those hurt relationships. 

I love being a part of the Victory Tribe, you are doing an awesome job, and I pray that you will continue to allow God to use you to do big things.

 What’s your story – tell us HERE

Is Your Marriage Alive or Barely Hanging on?

Are you fighting in your marriage?  Are you upset, angry with the direction your marriage is going in?  Maybe your marriage has simply STOPPED going in any direction at all ... kind of ... stalled.  If you think your marriage is dead ... answer this question: Do you believe that God ressurected Jesus from the dead?  You probably said, YES."  My thought is, what makes you think that the God that brought Christ back from the dead cannot resurrect a dead marriage?

He can do it - don't be so selfish - He is God and He can do anything!  Never give up, never give in.

View Video Clips from The Art of Marriage - FamilyLife.com.