Facebook and the Body of Christ

While I am at work, I have a lot of time to think. While I cook, clean, do dishes, etc. my mind tends to wonder over many kinds of things. I sing songs that are stuck in my head, I spend time praying, and I contemplate things that are going on in my life. Things that trouble me, things that bring me joy, things that have happened, and things I look forward to. Tonight, as I considered the year gone by and the one just beginning, I found myself once again pondering….you guessed it…Facebook!

I know, I know, I've been yakking way to much about this subject lately. Perhaps I am one of those people you joke about who cares too much about social networking. But what has me troubled this time is a little different than what I've ranted about in the past. What got it all started for me this time was that "contest" that Wal-Mart put together in which people were asked to vote for their own community in order to determine which cities would receive portions of a huge sum of money Wal-Mart was giving to help the hungry. Had you heard about this one? The voting ended this afternoon (thank goodness). It had people posting insane numbers of wall posts on face book pages, begging their friends to click like and vote, and go to this page and vote, and click, and vote, and click click click, vote vote vote.

Now please, don't get me wrong. I know that hunger is a huge problem lurking in our communities all over our country. It is a serious problem, and one that deserves our attention. I am thankful that Wal-Mart was willing to throw a drop in their bucket of massive profits toward the issue. But it was by no means an altruistic effort. Turning the effort into a giant contest just made it distasteful to me. Hey Wal-Mart, if you want to help the community, just help the community! If you want to contribute to charity, just contribute! Don't cheapen the issue by making it into some cheesy Facebook game.

Perhaps I am just jaded. But do you remember back when women were asking each other to post the colors of their bras and the location of their purses to support breast cancer? How about when people were changing their profile pictures to cartoon characters and claiming that it was an effort to end child abuse? Come ON people! Use your BRAINS! Think this through, will you? What on EARTH difference is it going to make in any of these issues that you posted something on Facebook? Really? I think we are smarter than that. What disturbs me is that these silly games come along and make people feel good about themselves, as if they have actually done something good and positive in the world. "Who me? Oh yeah, I'm a good person! I support breast cancer research. I posted my bra color on Facebook. I've done my part." We have given people vehicles with which to alleviate their social guilt without actually DOING anything. And in the process, we have cheapened the very social issues we claim to be trying to support.

I wonder, how many of the people who played along with these silly games ever actually sat by the bedside of a bald friend as she struggled to survive? How many participated in a fundraising event or even dug into their own pocket and donated? How many brought meals to a grieving family after cancer claimed another life? How many people who posted cartoon characters on their profile ever interceded for a child who was being abused? How many ever called CPS to protect a child in danger? How many ever volunteered at Big Brothers Big Sisters? How many ever took a struggling young parent under their wing and helped them learn how to cope with stress and anger?

And of the people who harassed everyone they know about clicking and voting to help the hungry, how many do you suppose have ever volunteered time serving at a soup kitchen? How many actually went to Wal-Mart and bought food items and donated them to a local food pantry? How about any time of the year OTHER than Thanksgiving or Christmas? How many ever dug into their own finances to see what they could give to feed others?

Now I'm not saying that it was wrong to play along with these little Facebook games, or that those who did so were bad people. Far from it. What I am saying is that if we really truly care about these and other social issues in our communities, we will be working parallel to that in ways that are real and tangible. We will do things that require our time, attention, presence, and maybe at times our money. We will get out from behind our keyboards and get out there and get shoulder to shoulder with each other and do the work it takes to make our world better!
While I was thinking about all these things, it stung me that I am just as guilty of complacency as anyone. I have never been to a soup kitchen, worked with those less fortunate, or given of myself and my time to help people in times of crisis. But the Lord says, in Matthew chapter 25, "'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." and "I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."

So my resolution for 2011 is to be the hands and feet of Jesus. I will seek and find ways to give of myself, of my time, talents, and blessings, to help those who need help. I will get out from behind my computer, and out from behind my bible, and I will get real. I will get physical. I will get emotional. I will put the weight of my convictions into action! Will you join me? Consider these lyrics from the song "If We Are the Body" by Casting Crowns:

We are the Body of Christ
But if we are the Body
Why aren't His arms reaching
Why aren't His hands healing
Why aren't His words teaching
And if we are the Body
Why aren't His feet going
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?