I got a Facebook friend request the other day. Since I've been adding on quite a few friends lately (Christian authors and friends of friends) I didn't look too closely at the request.
I should have.
I clicked on the "confirm" button, then went on to my other computer activities.
Couple of hours later the "friend" I'd just confirmed posted. I read it. Hmmm, didn't seem like the usual posts I get. So I clicked on the "friend's profile and sat, horrified, at the pictures that popped up.
I'm so new at this whole Facebook thing - and Facebook keeps making confusing changes - that I couldn't find the icon to delete this "friend" from my friend's file.
Bruce came to my rescue and we quickly eliminated the guy from my friend list.
Shew!
I've made several gaffes lately as I learn to navigate the strange cyber world my kids find so natural. It's simply not my mother tongue; I'll always have an "accent" that quickly identifies me as a foreigner to anything tech-y.
But it made me think how important it is to recognize the "faces" of friends. . . to recognize the pattern of my friends' speech, tone of voice, subject matter, choice of friends.
This stranger who tried to get onto my Facebook had posted a picture of himself that seemed uncharacteristic of a Christian author. It looked more like a mug shot. That should have alerted me right away.The words he chose to use on his profile page said nothing about Jesus Christ, or his faith or his writing career.
As a Christian I'm supposed to be as wise as a serpent but as innocent as a dove. I guess the "wise" part is about knowing and recognizing evil so I don't fall prey to it.
I wouldn't pick up a hitch-hiker, or let a stranger in my front door. But I'd naiively let an evil stranger enter through another "door."
How about you? Are you ever innocent, but not wise when it comes to evil? How did you recognize evil?
". . . his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice." (John 10: 4-5)
I have an account on FB for marketing, and I let a lot of strangers on it. I haven't had a real problem, yet. I friended Christian writers first, and now I'm adding on all their friends. So far, only one person said something inappropriate. But I will "unfriend" anyone who does, and you were right to do so with your inappropriate "friend." Good luck with this high learning curve, Dena!
ReplyDeletethanks, Denise. I have a lot to learn.
ReplyDeleteIt is an unfortunate sign of the times. It takes a while to get used to it. I friended self-proclaimed "prophet" thinking he just thought himself a good teacher. Wrong. He really is a false one, period. I posted one thing politely disagreeing with him and then ended that one.
ReplyDelete