Facebook Folly

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. -- Colossians 4: 5-6 (NLT)

These words penned by the Apostle Paul over 2000 years ago take on even more importance in the technologically advanced age we live in. I am constantly dismayed at the level of conversation held by followers of Jesus Christ. A daily walk through Facebook alone leaves one confused as to who is in the world and who is part of the church. I think the trap we can fall into is thinking that only profanity is unseasoned talk (and I have seen even that). Profanity is the easy stuff. It is the most recognizable. But what about proud talk? Backslapping over what a great job this ministry or that ministry did is drawing glory unto ourselves and not our Lord and Savior. Making political posts which demean the leaders we have and then trying to wrap it up in Christ is not serving Christianity. Angry postings, snide postings, or ones filled with innuendo does not serve the cause of Christ.

This is speech as much as if you were talking. The only difference is that everyone on your friends list is your audience. You are essentially speaking to every one of them at the same time. I am not talking about a sense of humor. You can have a sense of humor and at the same time have that sense be sensible. It can be funny and gracious and attractive -- all at the same time! Our key verses today contain four simple points to remember when we sign into Facebook. First of all is a directive from God that we are to live wisely amongst people who are not believers. I know it is difficult to keep at the forefront of our minds all the time but this is not a Sunday game we play. Our beliefs are very clear. There is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun. There are real life -- eternal -- consequences for these decisions. You may be the only salt and light someone sees. How seasoned is the salt? How dim is the light? Facebook is a virtual community. The people you accept as friends are not just your next door neighbors -- they are your roommates! Live wisely among them.

Secondly, we are implored here to make the most of every opportunity. I have heard well-intended Christians bemoan never having the opportunity or never knowing when they should share Christ. How about every time you log on? I am not saying that every post is making a plea for salvation but rather that the people who see your posts see Christ in what you say and in how you say it! Every time we log on to Facebook there is an opportunity to show what Jesus has done in our lives. An opportunity to testify for all He has done. Let us make the most of every opportunity.

Thirdly, we are instructed to let our conversation be gracious and attractive. If we were to be honest we would admit to how much of Facebook conversations are simply ugly and unattractive. Far too many and more importantly, far too many that Christians are involved in. Sometimes that unattractiveness is not so obvious. Sometimes it is insidious. Our ministry efforts save no one -- only Christ does. Whatever God allowed to happen through our ministries is a testimony to God alone and to Him be the glory. If our conversation is full of pride than we are sorely lacking in grace. If it is full of worldliness than we are sorely lacking in attractiveness. Remember, people are looking for two things when they are outside of God's salvation. They are looking for a reason to believe AND they are looking for a reason to not believe. Which does our conversation provide for them?

Lastly, we do all of this so that we might have the right response for everyone. True evangelism is a dialogue not a monologue. The absolute truth we believe in we do not own -- it belongs to God. We need less speaking at people and more speaking with them. When Jesus approached the woman at the well He asked her a question and drew her into a conversation. Whether we realize it or not we are engaged in a conversation every single day on Facebook with every single person on our friends list and some beyond that if they share things we say. If we think back I am sure we can remember when we came looking for God. I am sure for most of us there was someone we came to in order to ask questions. That someone was probably someone who lived wisely among us. It was probably someone who made the most of every opportunity they had with us. They were probably someone who spoke attractively and with grace. So when the time came that we were looking for answers -- for the right response -- we came to them. That is the question for our Facebook status today -- who is coming to us? Will we have the right response?

Rev. Anthony