Over the past few years with the pick up in social media sites, I fear that more people (mostly women I’m writing about here) are better friends with the people on their social media networks than they are with people in their daily lives. I am not saying those online friendships are bad, I just want to make the case that they are insufficient.
I would say that the main way I see this dominating the circles I follow are online Bible studies. Again, I’m not saying these are bad – I’m just saying they are insufficient. You can only be so real with people you only know through a computer (that’s why I think there are great problems with online dating). The good thing about these online Bible studies is that you study the Word and you get to know people…but that can’t take the place of real life Bible studies if you have access to good ones.
Neither can these online friendships take the place of real life friends. Since I’ve traveled a lot and moved a bit since being an adult, I have plenty of my best friends that don’t live in my immediate area. Social media is definitely a way I keep up with them and know what’s going on in their lives – and they know how they can pray, encourage, and help me along in my sanctification process by loving me and loving the Gospel.
I’ve been reading a surprisingly good book A Friend in Me by Pamela Havey Lau. It is about friendship – but more importantly, an older generation of women being grace-imparting friends to younger women. Sounds very much like Titus 2. I found this book for women to be refreshing because its deeper than most books on friendship. This has been a convicting read to me in getting to know knew women, continuing relationships with women I already know, pursuing Gospel love with them, encouraging them in whatever stage of life God has them in right now, and even in my parenting and imparting the Gospel to my boys who are so little.
Thankful for this book on friendship, real life friends, and yes, social media where I can keep up with all my friends spread throughout the world.
I received this book from LitFuse in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.