I am far too private a person to more than an observer of
Facebook. The technology of smart phones with cameras that can almost instantly
upload a picture of what I ordered at some fast-food joint still amazes me. Not
so much the technology, but the fact that I might think that worthy of sharing
with my so-called “friends” on Facebook.
A report on one of the morning news programs, Today, I
think, was about a survey some sophisticated researcher of humans habits had
done about smartphones and cameras. The researcher’s conclusions contained the
idea that people who spend lots of time taking smartphone pictures at events,
places, etc. often have much less memory of that event than those who simply “looked
and took it in” rather than saving it on some digital device.
That conclusion made me wonder about Facebook. Could it be
possible that we actually miss a whole lot of the life that is going around us
as we instantly post and comment on life as we perceive it to be? Is a picture
of the cheese and pretzel appetizer at Applebees posted on Facebook as
important as the community around the table eating it? If it is some new recipe
I tried at home and succeeded, that’s worthy of a post, but is that also true
of something a fast food place will sell a million of today?
I’m not trying to be anti-Facebook – just asking some
questions. I typically look at my home page on Facebook several times a day. I
find keeping up with friends and family enjoyable and informative. I love
commenting on a post when a student, former student, friend or family member
has posted something of worth. Facebook is a great place for some self-deprecating
humor and it is always good to see such humor still exists.
The beginning of a new year has provided all sorts of posts,
many of which can be placed in one of two categories. Either the world is
headed to hell in a hand basket and it is about time; or this is the year I am
going to be blessed by God and that means wealth. I started counting posts, but
soon realized I couldn’t do that in my head and gave up. But if those two
alternatives really reflect our culture – and perhaps our Christian culture –
then I think there is little reason to be confused about our lack of influence
in pointing our culture to Christ.
I’ve always wondered about this “love Jesus and you will be
rich” theology. Let’s be honest – this is the Jesus who once said “foxes have
holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to
lay His head.” (Matthew 8:20) We’re talking about the Jesus who said that “denying
self” was a crucial step toward following Him. (Matthew 16:24) And I can’t
forget about the rich ruler who was told that he should sell everything and give it to the poor and
then come follow Jesus. (Matthew 19:24) To make matters more bothersome, I am a
bit embarrassed when I compare my income to the rest of the world (http://www.globalrichlist.com/)
It also seems odd to me that followers of Christ would ever
develop a defeatist attitude about the world God made and declared to be “very
good.” (Genesis 1:31) I am aware of the impact that sin had not only on Adam
and Eve, but on the whole cosmos. But unless I’ve misread the Jesus story, His
coming was to renew and restore creation to its God-intended purpose. Perhaps
that is why “all creation waits with eager longing . . .” (Romans 8:18-25) for
the day God fully completes what He began on that first Easter morning when
Jesus came forth and the first fruit of this new creation.
Followers of Jesus stand hand in hand with
creation in our longing for that day, but not for a day when God just
obliterates the universe, but rather for the day when renewal and restoration
are utterly complete. God seems to have great plans for this marvelous universe
He created. He taught us to pray “your will be done, on earth as it is in
heaven” (Matthew 69ff) and the most glorious portrait of heaven found in
Scripture describes “the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God . . .” (Revelation 21:2ff)
Having read through the New Testament (and the Old) a time
or two, I just can’t find where it is that I should interpret “blessed by God”
as meaning I will be wealthy or a place where it seems acceptable to care so
little about the universe that I should be a defeatist and long for the day God
sends it “to hell in a hand basket.” Yet, if I didn’t know better and based my
theology on what I hear believers say and what I read posted on Facebook, I
would probably assume that a real Christian is a person who is filthy rich
because he is blessed by God and can’t wait for God to vaporize creation.
N.T. Wright makes a very succinct statement about this whole
subject: “the central Christian affirmation is that what the creator God has
done in Jesus Christ, and supremely in his resurrection, is what he intends to
do for the whole world –meaning by world,
the entire cosmos with all its history.” (Surprised
by Hope, page 91) If Wright’s summary is correct, shouldn't that be our “central
Christian affirmation” as well?
If I make the minimum wage in the United States, work 40
hours a week, and get paid 52 weeks a year, the Global Rich List puts me in the
top 6.88% of the world’s population when it comes to wealth. So it will be a
little difficult for me to point to the Bill Gates of the world and say “he’s
rich” while thinking “but I’m not.” It
is equally as difficult for me to read Scripture and think that it is
acceptable to not care about the cosmos God has called me to be His co-worker
in renewal and restoration.
A few weeks ago, while thinking about the death of a very
godly believer most people would call “rich,” I was thinking “what a different
world it would be if every rich person were as generous as this man was.” Then
it hit me – “what a different world it would be if every follower of Jesus –
rich or poor – could care enough about renewal and restoration to be generous
with whatever it is that we have.”
I think I just found my New Year’s resolution!
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