I saw this the other day (on Facebook) and it made me laugh…

“I am trying to make friends outside of Facebook while applying the same principles.

Therefore, every day I walk down the street and tell passers-by what I have eaten, how I feel at the moment, what I did the night before, what I will do later and with whom.

I give them pictures of my family, my dog and of me gardening, taking things apart in the garage, watering the lawn, standing in front of landmarks, driving around town, having lunch and doing what anybody and everybody does every day.

I also listen to their conversations, give them a “thumbs up” and tell them I like them.

And it works just like Facebook!  I already have four people following me: two police officers, a private investigator, and a psychiatrist.”

Although this did make me laugh at first, after I thought about it a while, it made me incredibly sad.  Is this who we are?  Are we just Facebook friends?

I can tell you what my neighbor down the street cooked for dinner last night–beef tenderloin and roasted vegetables served perfectly on a beautiful white platter.  But, I haven’t shared a cup a coffee with her in a while.

I can tell you that an acquaintance I know from the kids’ school went to a softball tournament last weekend–her daughter’s team wears the cutest pink uniforms.  But, I haven’t taken the time to actually get to know this mom.  I can’t tell you if she knows the Lord.

Here’s what I do know–the bible tells us to treasure friendship, relationships, and community.

Facebook, Instagram, and other sites have made it easy for us to know everything and nothing about a person all at the same time.  I’m not saying I don’t enjoy seeing your mantle decorated for Fall or pictures of your trip to the mountains.  What I am saying is that I want to make and maintain friendships in real life.  The kind of friendships where we sit and look at each other in the eyes.  We laugh until our sides hurt.  We cry until we just can’t anymore.  We pray for each other and with each other.  I have these friendships and I want to protect them.

I am afraid our society is becoming more and more isolated in this “connected” world.  In the coming hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I want to reconnect with my friends.  Let’s make an effort to call a friend for coffee, stop in for a visit, or pick up the phone for an uninterrupted ten minutes of connecting.

Psalm 133:1 “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”

Matthew 18:20 “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Let’s dwell in unity, let’s gather in His name, and let’s stir one another to love and good works in real life!

My love,