Flat screen relationships

 

I have 636 friends on Facebook. Diane Sawyer visits my home most evenings at 6:30. President Obama drops by occasionally, too. Of course, I don’t know Diane or Obama. I don’t even really know half the people who have ‘friended’ me on Facebook!  These are so-called ‘flat screen relationships’ – made possible by technology.  They have none of the rich texture of a real friendship. LOL (Laughing Out Loud) typed in a status line does not begin to compare to an actual fit of laughter shared around a dinner table. “Praying for you” sent in an email is a weak substitute for hearing another lift you to the Father in person.

Healthy people know how to form and sustain real relationships. One of the foundation stones of a strong church is that it is a place of actual community, where people become ‘brothers and sisters’ in the truest sense of the word. While we were discussing the idea of church community, one person recently remarked: “I don’t think I have ever seen it.” She’s right. It is rare. While we love being a part of a community, few of us are ready to radically connect to one another. Loving real people is a messy thing, costly to us in terms of our privacy, bringing not only comfort but also conflict. The closer we grow to another, the more our quirks and unique habits become an issue.

Living in a world of flat screen relationships is much easier than having real friends. In that world, when you tire of another’s company, you can just change channels or put away the computer. If you don’t want to have an email conversation, you can simply ignore the request.  Caller ID on our phones allows us to let calls from ‘that person’ just go to voice mail!  Our individuality is enhanced and we are poorer in the long run for it.

When Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives, He will cause us to love another. This is the distinguishing characteristic of a Spirit-filled person. He said, "I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:34-35, NLT) It’s not cheap, easy, or even sentimental! It’s committed, sometimes gritty, always truthful, and leads to maturity.

Are you content to live in a world of flat screen relationships?

Here’s a word from the Word. May it call us to community. "You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart." (1 Peter 1:22, NLT)  "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8, NLT)