I’ve never observed Lent before this year. I’m not really sure why I decided to pay
attention this year except for maybe an increased awareness of church
traditions due to some of my family’s conversion to Catholicism. I read after I’d begun that observing Lent is
now a trendy Evangelical thing to do. I
have to be at the forefront of the latest trends—especially fashion
trends. In fact, I bought a new flannel shirt that
didn’t have stains or tears just last summer in the Bargain Cave at
Cabelas. I even bought a pair of mostly-new
$5 jeans at a thrift store just this December.
In retrospect, I believe that some of my motivation goes
back more than a year to a conversation I had in Nepal with missionary colleague,
Ty. We were talking about time and our
differing attitudes toward it. Ty is one
of those productive people that makes things happen. He is a technology junkie that pumps creative
content and ambitious cooperative plans through almost every variety of Apple
product ever produced: iFuji, iGolden-Delicious,
iGranny-Smith, iApplesauce, etc.
I don’t even want a smart phone. I told Ty during this conversation that I
didn’t think my time justified the price of a smart phone. I told him at one point that my time wasn’t
worth much. Ty’s jaw hit the floor,
unable to comprehend this concept. He is
the type of guy who has enough ideas and plans to fill entire yearly calendars
and keep people around him rushing to keep up.
He loves the way technology keeps him connected and streamlines his
productivity. To this day he has not missed a chance to jab me at opportune
times and remind me I said this—among other stupider things I’ve said.
Me, I use internet technology also. I get distracted watching stupid videos on
YouTube. I read some blogs, check the
weather, scroll for deals on Craigslist.
And on a regular basis I catch myself scanning through Facebook for much
longer than I like to admit.
While I don’t foresee myself buying the latest iHoney-Crisp,
I tried to use Lent as an opportunity to tweak the use of my time. I gave up Facebook for Lent. I wanted to
focus more on spiritual things and pay attention to the historic events that
led up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. I traded Facebook for the
Bible.
I found a 40 day reading plan for the whole Bible. It wasn’t my personal idea. I found it on a blog I ran into by Margaret
Feinberg. Link: http://margaretfeinberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/UPDATED-LentReadingGuide2013smallpdf.com_.pdf. She encouraged participants to share what God
was revealing to them “on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag:
#LIVEWONDERSTRUCK.” I didn’t do this
because I had voluntarily banned myself from Facebook. You will be happy to know I did not tweet
once. Ever. Never have, so why start
now? I had to ask my daughter Natalia
what Instagram is. I bet my friend Ty
already knew about it.
Instead I read the Bible. For about an hour or more each day. I decided
to use The Message version to make familiar passages fresh and different. If I
got behind I’d try and use the plan’s Sunday breaks to catch up. I read through the Old Testament start to
finish. I read each of the Gospels and
the book of Acts in a day each. I used one road trip to Denver to listen to an
NIV audio version of several of the Pauline Epistles. I finished 1, 2, & 3 John, Jude and
Revelation on Easter Sunday after the sunrise service.
It was epic.
I decided it was unlikely that I had been spending an equal
amount of time on Facebook each day. I
had to work hard to keep up with the reading plan. It reminded me of my college days when I’d
read hundreds of pages each week for my literature classes. It was a forced march and did not allow rabbit
trails to investigate passages or topics that caught my attention. A great overview and it was totally worth
it. I’d consider it again next year
because it certainly infused my brain with scripture. I pray that lots of what
I read will reach my heart
.
I’d like to say I’m so spiritual that I’d just keep it up
and drop Facebook altogether. But if I’m
honest, I’m looking forward to getting back on Facebook. There are a lot of people that I connect with
only on Facebook. I missed them. I missed the news from their lives and the
thought provoking wit and links they share.
I missed the prayer requests, the news about surgeries, struggles and
little victories. I connect with a lot
of my foreign friends primarily via Facebook also. I missed the jokes. Basically, I missed the
SOCIAL part of social media. I missed
the little hint of relationship the internet allows across the miles. I felt a bit more separation from those
“frequent posters” on my friend list. I
missed the people.
I didn’t miss links to cat videos. I didn’t miss the mass messaging, the friend
requests from people I don’t even know and the invites to gambling games and
virtual farming. I didn’t miss the
political rants and the risqué, insidious attention grabbers that pop up. I didn’t miss seeing the latest stuff I was
searching for suddenly show up on the ads thanks to some high-tech spyware.
While the sun has just recently set on Easter Sunday, I find
myself in wonder at the incarnation of our Lord, throwing himself right into
the middle of sweaty, smelly humanity.
What would Jesus post on Facebook?
Sure I think he’d be on Facebook! He didn’t hesitate to eat with tax
collectors and prostitutes, I doubt a few cat videos would be a put-off. After
about 40 days disconnected, I can see Facebook as an honest representation of
the cross-section of humanity. The same
humanity that God loved enough to send his only son for.
I think restoring God’s connection to humanity was a major
motivation for the incarnation. Sin and
death had created a chasm way bigger than my voluntary hiatus from my Facebook
friends. Jesus came and took care of
that, creating a way to connect with his friends and followers much more
effective and holistic than Facebook.
Along the way can’t you see Jesus grabbing his smart phone
to post something that cut through all the superfluities that fill typical
status reports. He’d tweet right to the
heart of things as he always did. The profound way he dealt with skeptics and
doubters and hypocrites would shine in pithy status reports and the ironic
links he’d share. His hashtags would be
trending all the way through to the triumphal entry. Every post and picture
would point the way to the Father just like he used the things around him to
give testimony to the Plan. I can see the disciples posting a few selfies of
them and Jesus hanging out. And then
Peter would go back and delete all three of them before the rooster crowed in
the morning. I’m sure we’d be surprised
at who made Jesus’ friend list. I sure
hope I’d be a follower.
May the wonder of Easter carry right into the rest of your
year. #LIVEWONDERSTRUCK and all that.
