You Don't Know Me

One of my sons had to read a book by this title for English class.  From what I could gather, it was about a young man who lived one way, but inside his mind, he was a different person:  handsome, bold, popular, said what he really thought, etc.  That was the "real" him.  The one people didn't take the time to get to know.  I think a lot of teens feel that way.  They have to act a certain way to get along in the world, but there is another person inside who is completely other than what the world sees.

And isn't that true for most of us?  I know a few truly genuine people.  They are who they are, and make no excuses for who they are.  They don't need to.  They are "real". 

Lately, it has really become noticeable that people I have known for many years don't really know me.  This is especially true of people I have reconnected with via social media.  They knew me as a child.  Or they knew me as a teen.  Or they knew me in college.  Or they knew me at some point in the past.  Or, they know me NOW.  At least they think they do.  By the comments they leave, or the private messages they send, they express their opinion of me as if they know me intimately.  They know what I think and feel, obviously, because they are quite adept at telling me why what I think and feel is right or wrong.  (Usually wrong!)  And to be fair, I am pretty sure I do the same thing.  Although I don't often express conflicting opinions.  I just stare at my screen and think, "Really?  You feel that way?  Really?!" 

The unfortunate thing about social media is that it is really impersonal.  Oh, the funny little cartoons and the silly comments about life are all safe enough.  When people begin expressing political, religious, or moral views, though, the gloves come off.  And, granted, these are emotional issues for the majority of us.  But if you can't hear a person's tone of voice, see their facial expression, or really KNOW their heart, well, you don't really know what they're saying.

Things like Facebook have tricked us into thinking we know each other.  We don't.  We know what someone posted or commented.  But we don't KNOW them this way.  We simply read words.  We know something about the person, for sure.  But we don't know THEM as a person.

I want to delve further into this idea.  But for tonight, this is what I want you to take away from this:  Do you have a "Facebook relationship" with God?  Have you read His words, but not taken the time to really know His heart???

Until the next time...