This sharing is my take on a Bible Study session via Zoom during the pandemic. I did not join the meeting, but I took the time to ponder and write about it, which I later shared with this friend who spearheaded this intimate Bible Study group.
Before there was Facebook, first there was Friendster and MySpace. Honestly, I did not care much about either until friends from school were at least on either one, if not on both. They were young, much younger than I was. They had much time on their hands. Besides, we need a fun diversion to have balance, right? I thought so.
So there I was on Friendster. It was great! I loved that it served as a junction where people meet up. It is a practically convenient alternative to making overseas calls if you have connections or relationships outside your country of residence. I preferred it over the use of email.
I couldn’t be on both, though. I did not see any need for a second social platform account. Maintaining more than one social media account was excessive. I didn't have a nice chunk of time to do all that and still be effective. I am a wife and a Mom. I was in school full-time. My attention has to stay on my family and schooling.
Anyway, I was probably on Friendster for a good part of the year when Facebook started to gain traction with social network users. I have already switched to Facebook before the decline in Friendster’s popularity. The environment was very similar to Friendster. There was not much of the usual learning curve, which is a typical expectation when trying something new or different.
I mentioned above that I preferred Facebook or Friendster over email because it took away the painstaking labor of downloading photos. Posting them was also labor-saving since you do it straight from your mobile phone.
And then Messenger video-chatting came into existence, upping the human connection to the next level. I have family and friends from half a world away, and the niftiness of video chat at no charge, too, is too good to ignore.
This feature eliminated the need for prepaid cards to make international calls. And, those prepaid cards were not available everywhere, but despite that, I preferred them over phone carriers. Yes, I still remember like it was yesterday when phone bills were high because there were no prepaid cards. I saw the money and time-saving benefits, so what's not to like, right?
And friends? Wasn’t it fun finding friends from a lifetime ago, and doing those harmless searches because we lost sight of nearly everyone? It was easier locating the guys, not so with the gals, unless they carry the maiden name.
The real fun begins once established the connection—from the catching-ups to picking up on where things were left off. If we are talking about decades-long of having no communication, the first few weeks would be filled with big-time belly laughs. That includes recalling the fun and the not-so-fun memories that had escaped us.
On another note, to see how everyone has changed into the human beings all are now, slaying life's thorniest issues: Relational, work, everything, it begs the question, where did the time go?
You may wonder why I tapped into the use of social network in this post, but that's because it was the Bible Study topic. The author outlined a legitimate concern around festivities and people’s use of social networks.
I am sharing this today because it was fitting as we are entering the final days of preparations to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
With the topic in mind, expect to see posts from so many. Photos will flood the newsfeed. I nodded in agreement as I continued reading the article. People seem to not know when to draw a line in the sand:
—How much to share, what to share, and how often? Nearly everyone would post to their heart’s content. Would you agree? Users are more into what to post on timelines—which photos to share instead of enjoying the festivity. Would you agree that the attention is divided? Crazy, don’t you think?
Anyway, proof that there is a consensus on this matter, there was another article I read just days before learning the topic of the Bible Study discussion that also spoke about this trend. It was no coincidence, not only because I no longer believe in coincidences but because there is an ongoing need to acknowledge this. It should not come as a surprise that many more would touch on this topic.
Honestly, I fell for it, too, when I was overly active on Facebook because this has become a customary practice. The going norm if, you will. More on this later.
Don’t you think we should go back to the simplicity of celebrating festivities? Frankly, I think so. To focus on making memories that will be passed on to the next generations is where the highlight of our energies should be. Our attention should be on those gathered around us. Our minds concentrated on the gathering—not on busying ourselves on what to post and how many, and the constant checking on the phone.
Both authors were right to challenge us to take a few steps back. Make an honest effort to evaluate what led to it, consuming ourselves over and over with socializing using our phones. You'd be surprised at the time spent, busy chronicling the events that took place than enjoying the moment-by-moment in play.
In addition, the Bible Study topic author posed a few questions. One that I could recall: How have we used the gathering to encounter God?
So true. Perhaps there was one who had fallen off track and could benefit from a sincere chat. Did we miss the opportunity to share God? Gatherings are a perfect place. Everyone is dealing with something, just to varying degrees.
Now, this article I read talked about the qualities of a good guest at a party, noting that it is taboo to chronicle the gathering with nearly minute-by-minute updates on social media posts. The author added that the constant stare on the phone to check who commented on what, and how many reactions, can be too distracting, if not offensive to the host and or others in attendance. By the looks of how things are now, many continue to miss basic ethics.
How so, you might ask?
Well, knowing there was an invitation means that to grace the gathering would please the host. True, accepting the invitation gladdens the host. To give the impression that we are there, mind and body showing interest in the occasion, and not on our social network timelines, says so much more to the host about ourselves and our regard for the gathering.
The author also mentioned acknowledging the host’s efforts. It is easy to overlook the planning process that went into action when guests were more enthused in chronicling the event.
Good point, huh? Now, here is where my two cents come in, tying the two articles—
As I see it, this life is like a gathering. Only on a much grander scale. God is the host. Invitations were all sent. Technically we received the invitation at the time of our conception. We were born to know the goodness of the Lord and for us to love Him back.
Our active participation in this grand plan began the moment we entered school. As we increased our knowledge, so did our knowledge of God—supposed to be, right?
When we are focused on the stuff that steals our attention from the host (God), the distractions could multiply by the day, leaving a bare minimum to appreciate the things God presents to us minute by minute. We could miss out on the joy found in the Scriptures and apply them in the varying seasons of life.
It is good to have associations even online. Social platforms are an effective way to establish that, but keeping in mind two key components, of which there are many—
Make it purposeful. It cannot be shallow that there is no opportunity for personal growth— both yours and those in your circle. We could all use each other's learned lessons.
Limit your time on social network platforms. There are a lot of valuable things outside of social network platforms.
When we spend time with God, the Host, only then do we become aware of the instructions we seek. By that, we sharpen our tools continually. Yes, I know I need to work on this myself, too. We are all in this pursuit.
This Christmas, let us approach the gathering like what Christmas is supposed to be like, not too busy to hear the knocking on the door by the King of Glory.
Wishing everyone Christmas blessings!
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