Even with coveting and counting...I still like facebook.

So here I am only four weeks into facebook and I realize that there are two types of people on it.  Folks who have hundreds of "friends" and folks who don't have very many.  I'd say having under 10 friends says you're a recluse, under 30 says you're pretty private and under 50 says "I'm not outgoing".  One of my college friends has 20 friends in her friend's area and 10 are from work.    She's a private person...no photos, no info...nothing.  My cousin who's in the NFL is a different story...he's got about 700 friends listed.  Everyone...including myself has attached ourselves to him.  I'm always telling folks...my first counsin is in the NFL.. He plays for so and so.  Mind you he probably hasn't played more than an hour on the field....but he's there so I'm his "friend." 

The problem with linking all these people is the fact that you get a false sense of connection.  I have to admit I've slightly ignored my "live" and in person friends who aren't on Facebook.  In the carpool line instead of getting out of my car and talking...I've facebooked on my cell phone...checking on the status of my cousin or seeing if my husband has posted something. Are we becoming a society of internet relationships?  Will we only seek counsel on someone's wall?

The other problem with facebok is the problem of coveting.  Here's a place where you can see in real time what your friends from high school, elementary, your first job are up to.  We had a guy from my high school graduating class post a picture of a really cute woman.  He didn't say it was his wife...but insinuated that it was.  O.k.  the photo was too perfect to be his wife.  Why did he feel the need to post a picture of a perfect looking woman.  Where was his real wife?  Is he ashamed?  One of my friends told me she's going back to school to finish her bachelor's because everyone in our class has one and she feels left out.  I told her I wanted a Master's and she said she wanted one too?  And let's not talk about the weight issue.  Some of us have aged gracefully and some of us have...spread.  I've put on weight but if I let my self esteem get tied to my 18 year old self...I'd have a break down.  One of my friends refuses to post a current picture because she says she's too fat.  I doubt posting a picture is going to make her any thinner.  It's a virtual world that can lead to coveting, comparing and criticizing.   God wants us to focus on others...not always on ourselves.  Facebook by it's very core...has you state what you're doing...what you like...who your friends are.  It's all about you.  Taken to an extreme that's not Christlike.

Well those are my thoughts on Facebook...five days in a row.

It's not all bad...It's a tool that can be used for good.  In Hebrews it says we're suppose to be in the habit of meeting together.  If you're out in the Alaska tundra and aren't around Christians...this is a wonderful avenue for communication with believers.  If you're the only stay at home mom on your block during the day...this keeps your mind from going to mush.  It's a great way of networking and communicating...and if taken in sensible amounts...it's kind of fun.

All in all...I'll keep going on every day...I just won't do it first thing.  All this writing about facebook has taken the initial excitement right out of it...but since I'm up early...I might just go check it out.

Blessings.