Can people see the Love of Christ through you...?

Can people see the Love of Christ through you by how you "act" online?



often I have to double-check my online behaviour whenever I get convicted by the Holy Spirit about this. trust me, there is a sick pleasure in ranting & complaining about every little thing that makes my blood boil. (i'm already on high blood pressure meds too) usually for selfish, self-absorbed reasons I believed the whole online world needed to know every piece of poisonous drivel that floated through my mind, on every conceivable topic.
right.

it's been a little over 20 years since i first got convicted of this type of angry, bitter behaviour of mine and whenever I start slipping back into that old habit, that's when the Holy Spirit brings up that moment to me.

I was in high school and talking to a girl at school, complaining about something and cursing up a storm in the process. A few minutes later the subject was changed and we started talking about religion, that's when i casually mentioned i was a Christian. The girl i was talking to stopped in her tracks and said, "i couldn't tell you were a Christian, i never would've guessed by the way you talk."
OUCH!

i pretty much stopped talking right then and there. i don't even remember what happened the rest of that day because of how LOUD the conviction was of my own behaviour then.
i didn't have an online transcript/history to refer to back then, not like i do now. but that online written history of mine does help me look at my behaviour more accurately too.

i also have to take little "breathers" from social networks and blogs when i notice that i'm slipping back into the old behaviour. Praying before i post always helps me to avoid the knee-jerk reaction/impulsive ranting to anything.

i'm not perfect....not by a long shot, but it's a great reminder to me to act more Christ-like, even online.