By Kim W.If you think about it, all of today's technology has replaced something else. In 2004, when Facebook came into being, it was basically unknown for a while...even in 2006, some of our teenaged children were learning about it, but it was still new and we were just starting to hear the word and trying to figure it all out. But, now it is literally a way of life.
A recent study showed that one-third of women between the ages of 18-34 check Facebook before they go to the bathroom in the morning. That same study also showed that 21% of women check it in the middle of the night and 50% admit they can't live without it. Older adults between the ages of 40-50 represent the fastest growing population on facebook.
All of those 700 billion minutes a month from 2010 are coming from somewhere. Time spent on Facebook is being taken from somewhere else. Have you considered that?
What could it be replacing in our lives?
Time in God's precious Word?
Time in prayer?
Time with our family?
Could it be that Facebook has replaced real face-to-face conversations? Are we tempted to say "Happy Birthday" on Facebook and neglect sending a thoughtful card or having a lunch together to celebrate? Do our words on Facebook somehow remove the need to see people? Has sending a private message taken the place of meeting in homes or getting together for coffee?
Facebook can cause us to be removed from people's lives. Our physical presence can easily be missing from those who need us there face-to-face.
Facebook should not take the place of real life relationships. It should supplement them. It should enhance the relationship and make it richer. We need to look at our time on Facebook and make sure that real relationships are a priority. We should make sure that we don't allow Facebook (or anything else) to replace that blessing.
