What do you “like” on Facebook?

I recently noticed someone promoting her recently created fan page with the promise, “I’ll like you if you like me!”

Perhaps she was trying to be funny, but I have to admit my first thought was, “I’m glad God’s ‘like’ isn’t so conditional!”

And then there are the posts people throw into the social networking sphere and leave those who respond wondering if the posts were made by a person. Despite follow up questions and comments, the person who originally posts doesn’t respond. It reminds me of playing softball or kickball as a child when there weren’t enough available people to make teams, so people repeatedly batted and left “ghost men” on bases to be forced around the diamond by subsequent batters. Someone posts a question or comment for their friends to read and then declare “Ghost man on Facebook!” In other words, you can respond, but I won’t acknowledge it. You’re talking to deaf ears.

I’m glad God isn’t silent. There’s no “Ghost god in heaven!”

Social networking might be frustrating at times, but it’s only because we’re networking with other people. Relationships and communications are challenging.

Our relationship and communication with God is different. We can gather a few social networking tips from God.

1. Gather friends. Some you’ll invest in for many years. Some will be brief acquaintances. But we need each other. We were created for community.  A friend loves you all the time,   and a brother helps in time of trouble. (Proverbs 17:17)
2. Intentionally engage. God’s will for you is not to live in a protective cocoon. You need to connect with others in ways that make a difference in your faith and the faith of others. Pray, serve, and encourage. Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds. You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing, but you should meet together and encourage each other. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
3. Be yourself. God created you in his image, and he created you to be unique. Don’t cheat or deceive him or yourself by trying to portray yourself as less or more than you are. You made my whole being;  you formed me in my mother’s body. (Psalm 139:13)
4. Be positive and truthful. Hold yourself to God’s standards. Refrain by letting any other standard determine how you respond. Speaking the truth with love, we will grow up in every way into Christ, who is the head. (Ephesians 4:15)

You might be heavily involved in social networking. You might be avoiding it for a variety of reasons. Whatever your choice and wherever you’re connecting, let God be your guide. Reflect him in all connections. Let his ways guide your ways.

We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him. They are the people he called, because that was his plan.  God knew them before he made the world, and he chose them to be like his Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:28-29)