Character Confession: Those Other Facebook Games
I’ve seen it. You probably have, too. Those posts on Facebook saying please don’t send game requests.
There are new games I’m seeing, but they aren’t created by Facebook or their affiliates.
They are the games we play with each other.
If you are my Facebook friend, please know my FB life is multi-faceted, and I’m seeing these games in more than one place, in more than one time frame. This just happens to be the time I felt released to share this post. My FB friends cover over 4 decades of my life, including family, friends I truly know and see, writing friends, reading friends, ministry friends, and acquaintances that I don’t know that well from some of those categories listed. If you start to read this and feel I’m taking shot at you, please know I am not. This is a comprehensive post, and my heart is if anyone, me included, feels like a participant in these games, we’d let God take over and turn things around. I sure don’t have anything perfected but sin. These games are for me to think about and make sure I’m not playing. If you feel the same, all the better.
Tit for Tat–This is a volleyball status update. One person writes an update, and one of their FB friends believes it to be about them. Perhaps it is. But before they can prayerfully think it out, out goes their status update. Sometimes the people call each other out, but not always. But this is a game no one wins. What makes me sad is I see this in Christian circles–to the point I’ve had to take professional tit for tat players off my newsfeed. It hurts me to read it. And God, forgive me for the times I’ve played.
Count the Blocks–I don’t think writers do this, because we’d probably all need therapy because the number is probably higher than we want to know. This is a game where people spend time counting how many people blocked or unfriended them. If you’ve conducted yourself well, shrug it off as their loss. If you, after reflection, realize perhaps your online behavior contributed, prayerfully consider making positive changes. But don’t try to please everyone, it won’t ever happen. I don’t see any reward in this game. I received the best advice from a friend when I shared my desire to put my writing out there, but was afraid of rejection. She said she heard from her pastor at the time to possess “the heart of a dove and the skin of a rhino.” That really helped me, and gives me the courage not to even check my Facebook stats as far as blocks/unfriends.
Family Feud--This is the unofficial edition, not the fun one with Steve Harvey. Teens vs parents. Spouse vs spouse. In-law vs in-law. The list goes on. I’m a speed reader so a lot of my FB time is scrolling through my feed, clicking some likes, adding a comment here and there. When I see the feuds, I feel so uncomfortable. I think those barbs, threats, and other negativity needs to be a calm discussion taken far, far from Facebook.
The LOL Game--This one looks like a lot of fun, kind of like me and Words with Friends, but once I start that real game, it isn’t so fun anymore, because I’m not very good. But LOL is an update or comment that is a sharp jab aimed somewhere, but the LOL is thrown at the end to soften the blow. But I don’t think it works. Because I know I feel bruised just reading it.
I know there might be people reading who might ask why am I still on Facebook if it’s so bad. For the few games out there, Facebook has been a ministry and encouragement to me. What would have taken decades to accomplish in platform building I’ve enjoyed in a shorter time frame thanks to Facebook. I’ve connected with great people from many aspects of my life–family, my past, friends I am able to see on a regular basis, cyber friends I’ve never met but admire, writing peers, church connections, and everything inbetween. The blessings far outweigh the uncomfortable experiences and disappointment.
But like the posts that say they don’t play FB games, when it comes to those other ones, I don’t want to play, either.
Do you?
