when social networks become a social letdown

Recently, I felt the need to cancel my facebook.... cancel? why? are you mad? Most of those types of scenarios came into my mind. As I sat with my wife, thinking about life and enjoying just being still, I got up to go and check my facebook without ever really thinking. My wife asked what I was doing. "Checking facebook...again." Really? after checking it 2 other times in the span of an hour. What have I become? I am a social guy, I love to have conversations with people and keep up with them. But in my endeavor to keep up with them, I never really got to know them. I knew them from facebook. I am not saying that I didn't know people, sure, most of them I had worked with, or knew from high school or what have you, but what kind of relationship did I have with them?

Most of them have never seen the inside of my house, let alone know where I live. Most of them really don't know what is going on week to week in my life, let alone really care. So why spend so much time and energy keeping up with people on a so-called "Social" network?

I don't have a problem with facebook, don't get me wrong. What I don't like is when people mindlessly give themselves over to proxy-friend. I was not engaging people in real life mostly because I was afraid they wouldn't like the real me. But God has allowed me to get past that insecurity. I was made in the image of the almighty GOD! I was created to worship God, to serve God's people, and to enjoy all that God has made me to be. But I was so wrapped up in the semi-private (Mostly public) conversations that people posted on facebook that I forgot there are REAL PEOPLE.

I have seen the disdain people have for each other lived out on facebook. Everything from exes cussing each other out to family talking about a decision you made behind your back. The worst part is they don't care that it is public knowledge and that people are really hurt by what happens on facebook... We justify our own frustrations with that person by e-gossiping about them to our closest 135 friends. For what? to express our disdain for their choices?

God wants all of us to be in community with each other, not in e-community...
just some thoughts to ponder... for all 3 of us that actually read this.

:)

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