Navigating Social Media & Facebook’s “Fake Friends Syndrome”
As it looks like now the word “Friend” is going the way of many words in the 21st Century. When I was growing up the words had different meanings;
“Gay” meant someone who was happy.
“Bad” was something that wasn’t good for you.
“Sweet” was something that tasted sugary.
"Posse" were the people who rode off after the bad guys who got away.
“Friend” was someone who would stand by your side through thick and thin.
Today the new definition is someone that is on your social media list. They will not come to your rescue, you don’t have to know them at all and the point of this article; their word to you is absolutely useless.
Now, I am not a sociologist nor is it my intention to point out the ills of social media. Social media is here to stay and it has brought many good things to those who desire to stay in communication. The point of this article is biblical and my desire is to show how Christians have begun to be influenced by the world instead of us influencing them.
My ministry/business keeps me on the cutting edge of this new technology and I have the privilege to observe how the younger generation uses these tools. Let me give you some of their unspoken but current social media ethics especially when it comes to event invitations.
It used to be that if something was happening a “friend” would call you to let you know and things move by word of mouth. Now with social media there is a plethora of information and your invitations are daily and sometimes overwhelming. These invitation come from the many “friends” we are all connected to and here are some things I have noticed;
1. If someone is your “friend” but you don’t like them you don’t respond to their invitation. You are sooooooooo busy you just didn’t see it.
2. If someone is your “friend” and you don’t want to say no (nobody confronts anymore) you simply say maybe but they don’t stand a prayer of seeing you there.
3. If someone is your “friend” and you feel some type of attachment but you still don’t want to go you say yes, you don’t show up and you don’t excuse yourself. Like I said nobody will confront you now days and if by chance they do it’s not hard to come up with a quick excuse.
4. Usually the only people who will dare to say No or explain why they can’t attend are people who are over 40 years old or who really like you and are just indisposed at the time of the event.
I know some of you are laughing at this time and can’t believe I am “throwing you under a bus”. P.S.For the older generation that means I am putting your stuff out in the street. Now these are just unspoken rules but you must know them if you’re going to navigate the waters of Facebook and other Social media platforms.
My challenge is this; what ever happened to “My word is my bond?”For the younger generation; that meant in our day “My word is good and it’s backed by a lifestyle of keeping my word to others.” What happened to James 5:12b But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment.
Shouldn’t a real Christian’s lifestyle be such that our promises are like that of the Lord Jesus as Paul explains?
2 Cor 1:17-21 Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No? 18 But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us — by me, Silvanus, and Timothy — was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. 20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
None of the above things have been helped out by our grown Christian leaders purposely trying to sign up everyone they can as a friend so by having thousands of friends people will think somehow they are more popular! (I purposely didn’t use the word mature here because if they were they wouldn’t be playing these games) God help His Church?
May the Lord help us all to “mean what we say and say what we mean.” Let’s all work at taking our responses seriously and thereby giving an example to the world that is watching that we are the children of God.
