We humans are social creatures. Actually, we are driven to be social. In a different day the front porch or the street corner were places to socialize. With the age of electronic communication the front porch became virtual. For a while email was the social choice. But email was specific, you wrote to a particular person of group of persons. Email turned out to be not very social. Then, one bright young man figured how to create a virtual front porch. He called it Facebook.
Now, you can say whatever is on your mind to everyone or to no one in particular. You just hang out on the virtual front porch. People can stop and listen or keep going. The electronic social network was born.
LIke any other human convention, the value of social networks lies in how much God is valued by those who use the network. I realize when a statement like this is made things can seem a little crazy. Someone is thinking, oh great, he wants me to post all my pastor’s sermons in my status updates. Someone else is thinking this means they can only post bible verses or share tracts. But none of these are the reason for my statement.
What I mean by valuing God is just that – do others know how much you value God by the way you use Facebook? For example I frequently see someone appreciating a tip about housecleaning and posting it so that anyone on the virtual front porch will hear about it. Other times, I see constant updates about vacations, sporting events, or day trips. I know what people think of their bosses, friends, children’s teachers, or auto mechanic. I read about meals, liked or disliked. Then there is a category of posts that are related to prayer requests. But comments about God and how he is running your world are few and far between.
Let’s face it, facebook elevates the mundane parts of life and glorifies them. Oh really, how does that happen? It happens when we post more about the latest coupon or sporting event than we do about God’s goodness to us each day. Keep talking about your everyday stuff – just include God!
If you are still breathing while you are reading this you owe that breath to God. Sounds like something you might want to let others know about – God kept you alive today. Seems newsworthy to me. Maybe you realized that for the 1 millionth time that your sins are forgiven. What better thing to tell others about.
Facebook encourages you to focus on what doesn’t matter. When the unthinkable events of life happen, Facebook quickly loses its appeal. Facebook can be a good thing. it can help you redeem the time. It can help you encourage others with what is vital rather than what is mundane. Facebook can help you realize how much you value God over the mundane. Don’t let Facebook be an opportunity lost.
16 thoughts on “Facebook – An Opportunity Lost”
Amen!
Very well said Carrie
Thanks for writing about this subject, which is not discussed or recognized enough. I love the term “virtual porch”….it helps give a better understanding of what we are actually doing on facebook…being social and we should conduct ourselves as if we WERE actually on the porch, interacting with several individuals.
Probably half (if not more) of what we share is our seeking to feel accepted and appreciated. So it makes sense to keep in mind as we are on facebook, that our true worth is not in how many “likes” we get, but the fact that Jesus sacrificed himself for us to have eternal life and abundant life….and that’s sufficient enough…and in fact it’s very powerful. We are loved beyond measure. Facebook is fun, and it oftentimes makes us feel appreciated, but it’s not going to give anyone a lasting sense of true value like our Saviour’s love for us. Through thick and thin….He never stops loving us, no matter how many comments on facebook may get misunderstood…or when we post things that no one “likes”…He is always there for us…and really all we need.
The need is also great on YouTube for creative, high-energy homemade video creations that glorify God. YouTube is the second most used search engine on the entire World Wide Web and most of what people are finding are stupid comedy acts from immature teenagers and twenty-somethings. There’s a huge opportunity for Christians to declare their faith and to celebrate notable, worthwhile things in Jesus’ name. I went to PlayList Live this year (one of two huge events for YouTube celebrities and their fans to get together, the other is VidCon which I also attend) and despite THOUSANDS of cheering people there I found no signs of life, just a whole lotta chatter and a lot of it was celebrating gayness or severely abusing f-bombs and other crass words. Almost everyone at the event was a teenager! This is our future?! Shame on us for letting the future generation go.
A few years ago, I asked God to show me how I could be HIS Image Bearer. I had been a quiet home maker for years, caring for my family, able to participate in community activities. Then I found myself alone in my home with an elderly parent needing constant care. How could I be a shining light, witnessing his goodness and grace to the unknowing world, and how would I even find an avenue for testifying when I needed to be always by the side of a loved one and not really out in the world?
God showed me the opportunities available every day on FB, blogging, and forums. Each day on FB, we have the awesome opening with their question: “What’s on your mind?”
I absolutely love sitting down and envisioning visiting with friends over a cup of tea while we speak of what’s on our mind. I want to be so enveloped in God’s love so that when I speak, or type, others can only conclude, “She’s been with Jesus.”
So I try to have this on my mind when I open FB.
I appreciated your post about how much we value God and not missing opportunities. While pondering His worth, other questions come to my mind.
What’s really on your mind? Is your Father’s glory foremost on your mind each morning as you greet ‘friends’? Is your responsibility as an IMAGE Bearer, a light on a hill, or obeying His call “You are my witnesses!”?
Also, there is the value of your friends and knowing the destiny of all mankind according to the Word of God. Do I care enough to rescue those who are drowning or lost? Do I encourage others who are plodding along or in battle?
How much do I actually value my friends and their time?
I believe, their value also determines the importance I put on my topic.
If we look for opportunities to obey our Father and glorify His Name, we’ll find them everywhere. FB is an blank page waiting for each of us to tell our friends how vital and vibrant life can be when one chooses to have a mind “focused (stayed) on Christ”.
Thanks for your post.
This is a great article. My family has left Facebook. The total lack of privacy, and the back doors to your personal information made me very uneasy about my family’s safety. I also found the constant barrage of partially clad females too great a temptation for my sons, and husband (though he never did have his own page). If I could not avoid those images, I knew it would be impossible for my sons to avoid them. Not to mention the language we were encountering regularly. So we just said good bye to Facebook, closed our pages, and left. It would be lovely to see a Christian arena like Facebook with enough safeguards to ensure it would stay a wholesome environment. Especially since Facebook is now “censoring” Christian pages, some testimonies and Political opinions (always conservative ones) which disagree with their point of view. How sad….they are so threatened by people who embrace godly values and try to live our lives to honor Him. Anyway, maybe someone will create a place where Christian values are welcome, and debaucherous things are not! Then perhaps we will leave the mundane behind, to connect with our brothers and sisters in Christ, all while we encourage each other in our faith! :o)
I totally agree with you. I use facebook to share all the “good stuff” about God, His Word, and those Christians who are in such need of prayer and assistance. It is a great highway to send out the “good news”.
Great Article! Thank You!
Whether eating or drinking.. or FACEBOOKING
This is an excellent article. I use Facebook to connect the idea that freedom comes from God. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Cor 3:17 I post quotes from historical records as well as from current sermons and books on the topic of America’s freedom and its relation to Christianity. In other words, I utilize Facebook for the glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom on earth. I also post historical information about the history of the Pledge of Allegiance on my page, Saving One Nation Under God, to inform Americans of the Christian heritage we have in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Facebook is very importatnt to me as a Christian. I talk about and post about my faith a lot. I also stay involved in groups based on interest. I have made nonChristian friends with whom I have been able to share my faith. I feel it is my duty as a Christian to pray for my friends–so I have added all my FB friends to my prayer calendar so that each one is prayed for at least once a month. I love when people share their prayer request, and I try to stay on top of those and I share mine too.
Paul, thanks for your comment. The reason for the statement is that if God is not honored, not valued, then reality is misrepresented. Yes, there may be professional value in a conference that fails to state the importance of God. But, as James 4 teaches, failure to acknowledge that all things happen according to God’s will is arrogant and evil. Isaiah 40, Daniel 4, Colossians 1 all teach God is in control of all things, secular and sacred and that it is not wise to ignore his power and control in every area of life. Hope this is helpful to you.
Not that helpful, you’re still confusing me, not sure what you mean by “….then reality is misrepresented,” at all, or even, “all things happen according to God’s will.” Mainly, I’m not sure how literal you’re being on the second one.
It sounds in general that your response is overreaching in assigning scriptural points to the details of our lives. Should God be “valued or honored” by the brand of toothpaste or toilet paper I buy? Exactly how in control is God of when I mow my lawn or say “goodnight” to a family member?
Could you explain how reality is misrepresented if two or more people communicate using Facebook instead of telephoning each other, mundane goings on in their lives, for instance?
Lastly, how can one measure when exactly God is being honored or valued enough, or His power and control not being ignored enough, that transforms something from not having value to having value?
These questions now generated is why I said please think through what you’re writing.
Paul, Let me clarify about FB and the mundane. I did not say it was wrong to talk about the mundane. I said the problem comes when we only talk about the mundane.
The reason for this is that your life, your every breath is given to you for only one reason – that God would be honored. In Acts 14, Paul tells the folk at Lystra that he gives them rain, provides the food they eat each day and even is responsible for filling their hearts with joy. In Acts 17, Paul tells the perhaps the most sophisticated group of thinkers on the planet that God determines the exact places where everyone on the planet lives and that he controls whether or not they will take their next breath. He goes on to say that God does this so that all men would seek him. James 4 teaches that is it arrogant and evil to make business plans without first saying these plans are totally dependent upon God’s will. Again, I believe that this makes God relevant in every area and action of life. To ignore this is to ignore reality.This view is consistent with historic Christianity for the last 2,000. I think that makes God relevant in every conversation and decision we make.
Not trying to be argumentative – just trying to respond honestly to your question. Thanks for asking. Again, I hope this is helpful to you.
Never thought you wanted to argue, nor do I. And actually, THIS reply of yours is somewhat helpful, but remember, my original “complaint” was with the article as worded. The more you clarify things here, the better, but it doesn’t change the lack of clarity in the article.
I never had a huge problem with it, just some of the sentences written as if to say “X is always true”, when I can think of times it isn’t, is frustrating.
Also not sure if you or the article are taking scriptural teaching and turning them into some legalistic requirements guiding EVERY conversation that would seem contrived and even unhelpful to being a good witness to others at times.
The author writes, “God kept you alive today. Seems newsworthy to me. Maybe you realized that for the 1 millionth time that your sins are forgiven. What better thing to tell others about?” No, just living another day isn’t that newsworthy for the vast majority, and I wouldn’t want to hear or say over and over again that I re-realized my sins are forgiven to others who’ve already heard me state this many times.
Just examples……perhaps the author is just using hyperbole to make a point, but I for one get turned off by that.
I doubt it’s his overarching points I would disagree with as much as some of what he says, if he’s being literal.
So I guess you’re not going to take a crack at answering my question of, when communicating in writing or speech, FB or elsewhere, how do we know if we’re honoring or making God relevant enough, so that we are not being evil, or arrogant, or ignoring reality (to use some of the words that have already been used in this thread)? How do we measure this?
Sorry – I have been trying to answer your question. 🙂
James 4 says “Instead you ought to say… if the Lord will. I Cor 10:31 says whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Those are not my words but the Holy Spirit”s. I, and countless others, take these words to mean that the honor and glory of God cannot be overdone. I don’t know how to not pay attention to the reality that my next breath only happens because God wants me to. No one is their own person.
In any event, I hope this is clear enough. I don’t think it is legalism – it just being on board with what God says that life is all about. I hope that you will take another look at the passages I mentioned, as well as Psalm 139.
Blessings to you in Christ’s name.
By the way, I am the author of the article. Jay