How to deal with AN ANONYMOUS LETTER

    I have received several open rebukes, but I have never gotten an anonymous letter criticizing, condemning, or castigating me (nor is this a solicitation for one).   However, I recently learned that a brother who led the congregation in an act of worship received one in his church mail box.  That greatly shocked me!  My theory is that a visitor or non-Christian must have learned his name and found his box via the mailbox directory, since I cannot imagine one of our members capable of such an act.  It does give me the opportunity, though, to tell you my estimation of an anonymous letter.
    An anonymous letter is cowardly.  To get a letter, especially of complaint or criticism, without benefit of knowing who your critic is must be deflating.  Every face you see might be of the one who sent the letter.  Matthew 18:15 is not fulfilled when one remains anonymous.  You give the recipient no way to respond in the way outlined by that passage.  Instead, you fire a nameless nuke at a spiritual relative.  If I stand behind my position or point, I am not afraid to put my name on it.  If I am so convicted about the matter, I should have the courage of my convictions.
    An anonymous letter is powerless.  I cannot see how anyone could take such a letter seriously, except to be hurt at how little the sender thought of him or her.  No credence should be given to a letter the sender so lacked confidence in that he or she left it unsigned.  I would counsel anyone who receives such a letter to give it no more consideration than did the author who thought little enough of it not to stand behind it with his or her good name.
      An anonymous letter is hurtful.  It is impossible to know the motive of the sender, but there is a predictable outcome to such a letter.  The recipient is going to be hurt.  The anonymity is unloving, cold, and impersonal (by definition and design).  What if the letter had discouraged the man from serving the Lord, tempted him to be bitter or angry, or in some way served as a stumbling block to him?  
    I am trying to imagine Christ showing His displeasure for a decision of Thomas' or lesson of Matthew's by firing off an anonymous letter for him to find in his satchel.  Someone may show poor judgment, make a weak argument, express an unfounded opinion, or the like, but we have not responded in a Christlike way through such a cowardly, important, and wounding way.  In bearing the fruit of the Spirit, let us consider what love, patience, and kindness look like.  It does not look like the writer of an anonymous letter.  -- Neal Pollard