The Weekly Encourager – September 19, 2013 – About Facebook

Is Facebook just a waste of time? Some of my friends are hesitant to get on Facebook for that reason. They don't want their in-boxes cluttered with a lot of trivial posts by people they knew 20 years ago in high school or at their first job. My husband recently did an “about face.” He chose to close his Facebook account due to its (lack of) privacy policies. And some folks just don't have any extra time in the schedule.

Here's what I think: You can maximize the value of Facebook. You can get on it in a limited way which meets your needs and doesn't waste time or compromise your privacy too much. First, there are several ways to limit the unwanted data stream. A. You can choose your friends carefully: only respond to friend requests from those you truly care about. If you are a Christian, the goal of Facebook is not to see who has the most friends! B. Second, limit the posts you receive regularly by specifying certain top people from your list. I adjusted my settings so that I only receive notices of posts from my top four or five people. The rest I can scroll through when I want to and have extra time. I've also noticed that the folks who gave Facebook a bad rep by posting things like “I just went to the grocery store” have cut back on that. Yet I don't want to miss something important that's happening to my nieces and nephews. C. The third way to limit excess data is to set up a filter so that all the Facebook stuff skips your in-box and goes directly to a folder which you can access less frequently at will.

As for the privacy issue, I figure: A. I'm not doing or posting anything I'm ashamed of, B. I never post anything private or personal, and C. my basic information is out there anyway. Just to test this, I googled a lady I know and within 30 seconds found out her address, phone number, age, where she works, who her probable relatives are, and even her shopping habits!

The third issue is the possibility of wasting time on Facebook. This is the same hazard with many things in life, whether good or bad. People can waste time in any number of ways, including reading books, watching movies, talking to friends, writing letters/emails/texts, taking photos, etc., even though these are all good things. For the same reason, Dave and I did not have a TV for the first 10 years of our marriage. Each person must prayerfully look to the Lord for the proper arrangement of his/her schedule, finding a healthy balance of work, play, worship, rest, social life, chores, etc. Knowing myself to have ADD, I keep a (cute little) timer right next to my computer, and I limit my time on Facebook to 10 minutes a day.

While I respect my friends' choices, my approach is to use “unrighteous mammon” for righteous purposes. I'm on Facebook to post photos and to keep up with distant family and friends. By “distant” I include not just dear friends who have moved far away, but unsaved relatives with whom we have minimal contact due to family dynamics or the fact that we are believers. Recently I noticed that Davide's niece, who lives nearby, had posted pictures from her high school graduation; we did not receive an invitation or notice of any kind. I never would have known it was her last year in high school without Facebook. Now I have the opportunity to send her a card with a check, and that may be a positive witness in her life. I want her to know that Christians are loving people. This morning my niece in another state posted the news that today she begins student teaching. This was another opportunity for me to make a quick comment to encourage her. I may choose not to comment on her beer-drinking photos, but I praise anything positive I see. Again, I hope to be a good witness for Jesus Christ by showing love. Who knows what the Lord may do?

What else have I done on Facebook this week? I congratulated a young man in graduate school on his engagement. I “liked” some baby photos posted by new moms. I posted that I was praying for the victims of the Navy Yard shooting (I used to work in the building next door to where 12 people lost their lives). “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” - Romans 12:15 I posted photos from the past several months of my life. I have found that the photo albums are great conversation starters, particularly when others learn that they share a common interest with me. With believers, these common interests deepen our fellowship. With unbelievers, opportunities may arise to talk about deeper spiritual issues. In either case, I know better how to pray.

Whatever our individual decisions about Facebook, TV, or any other media, let them be intentional and prayerful. Jesus said to His disciples, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves.” - Matthew 10:16 Stop whining about technology and start winning with technology!

To those who read this blog every week, my sympathies (just kidding!). Tomorrow Dave and I begin a month of travel. I may or may not have opportunity to write Encouragers while we're away. I do hope to post photos on Facebook...

Yours in our Faithful and True Lord,