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The "Add Friend" Default

 



How many friends do you have on Facebook? How many groups are you in? How many times does someone's profile pop up to click "Add Friend" with 1 or 2 mutual friends and you think, "Should I know them?"?

Mark Zuckerberg would not agree with me; but your 400, 800, or 1,700 friends on Facebook are not all your real friends. You may be very careful with whom you allow to view your life for safety or privacy purposes. But still, it's seemingly impossible to have that many friends. They may be family members, acquaintances, old school mates. They're not the people who know you inside and outside. They don't all "have your back." And, most importantly, not all of them will give you Biblical truth and spiritual edification. 

But do we often run to these online companions for comfort, reassurance, advice, and hope? Does the loose social media term "friend" really mean what it says?

A few questions I have to ask myself...

When I'm faced with a confusing situation, do I run to God's Word for help and reassurance or do I vent my frustrations on my mom Facebook group?

When I feel alone, fearful, or doubtful about myself, do I post a selfie and check for positive affirmations in the comment section or do I take time to remind myself who I am in Christ and His sufficiency?

When I want to escape a current reality or dilemma that I less than idea, do I run to social media to mindlessly scroll or do I run to my Savior who knows my every need?

Don't misunderstand my heart, I do love social media. It's a great way to reconnect with past friends, learn through challenging articles and information, and have some laughs with all these hilarious memes. But I know how often I'm mindlessly flipping my thumb then, all of a sudden, find part of my life in despair because I'm now comparing my current situation to someone I barely know. Maybe her house looks more clean or her kids smile better or her food looks yummy. And now my life is in disarray because I don't meet the same standard -  but I've never been to her house, eaten her cooking, or even know her kids' names. 

I hope you have good, godly friends you can turn to for love and advice. I hope your social media scrolling is light hearted. But most of all, I hope your best security in life, your comfort and peace, and your beauty in everything is Jesus Christ Himself. 

Some resources that I've recently found helpful on these topics are: 

Kelly Needham's Friend-ish

Ruth Chou Simons' Beholding & Becoming


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