Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Virtual Discipleship


Facebook, like other media sources today, enable us to jump from one world to another, without giving us much time to process.  As I scroll down my most current News Feed, I can be at a friend’s wedding, a nephew’s prom, and watch a video of a friend or family member.  I can join the many others who "Like" this or even make comments that somehow connect me with this virtual community. 

However, interspersed among all these "Likes" I may be confronted with prostitution in Thailand, the horrible face of terrorism, and the realities and results of poverty in some third world countries.

Because I am in charge of the page down button or the swipe of my finger on my iPad, I can choose where I stop and what I read.  I can choose to erase or “unlike” what or who I do not like.  It is really the best kind of world to live in. I can fool myself into believing I can "End it Now" or solve it now by joining a group and then sharing that with "my friends."

When Jesus called His disciples to come and follow Him, He called them to come and die.  They could no longer "erase" or "unlike" what became unpleasant or difficult.  Virtual discipleship was out of the question.  It still is.  The Bible says in I Corinthians 6:19-20, "You are not your own; you were bought with a price." 

-Jess