Friday, March 5, 2010

Beyond Social Networking

3/5/10
Did you ever wonder what a “Facebook” page for God would look like? Would you accept if He asked you to be his friend? What would you write on His wall? Would you want others to see what He might right on your wall?

Not being much of a social networker, I’m not exactly qualified to blog about this relatively new, but exploding, phenomenon. I know from the tech-savvy teens at HHS that there are lots of ways to connect with others. These digital natives, who are always plugged in or logged on, can at the same time be virtually tuned out---disconnected. Connected only in a in a virtual sense, as I indicated in a previous blog.

I don’t have a twitter account so I never have occasion to tweet. Yet, these kids have already advanced to complimenting each other by retweeting. If I were on twitter with God, He would read all my “tweets” ----even the harried ones of seemingly insignificant details like, “what can I fix for supper?” to “where can I park?” He would also read my text messages but texting takes me way too long. It’s hard to pour out my heart on a miniscule phone keyboard. Prayer is the best instant messaging I have.

Whatever you want to talk about is out there in cyberspace---a global conversation just waiting for you to chime in, especially with like-minded folks, those others who share your passions Virtual (not actual/hypothetical) connections are surface level at best----rarely going beyond “chit-chat” in the relational realm. Whatever you need to talk to God about is also okay. He's interested. He's waiting. He shares your passions but He goes deeper.

Winnie the Pooh says, “You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

Maybe we need to really go, not virtually go---you know, face to face, not facebook to facebook. Can you go in person today to “link up” with someone in need---in need of an “atta boy” or an “atta girl” or “you can do it” or just in need of you being there with a listening ear.

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2