I have stayed away from social media and particularly Facebook purposefully. I never had any interest in social media for many reasons.
‘MySpace’ was the original ‘Facebook,’ and further confirmation that I wanted nothing to do with social media came when I was working at a science museum. They had employees and volunteers from all walks of life. There was a volunteer who worked there who obviously had some medical disability with regards to her mental capabilities.
Harriet (name changed) was a young girl about 19 – 20 years old who worked as a volunteer at the museum several days a week. Harriet’s condition was never officially disclosed to us, but it was obvious she had a disability. To help put her condition in perspective, she did not drive. While she was mentally disabled, she was able to guide visitors to the exhibits. She was also able to provide narration of the exhibits to the degree that a visitor could get acquainted with that exhibit. Harriet’s comprehension would then be limited beyond the basics. I would describe her disability as a low comprehension threshold with the same threshold limiting her ability to discern to others what she did know.
My job at the science museum was a secondary job in which I worked only on weekends. We had a fairly standard work crew on the weekends. My job title at the museum was maintenance. Part of my job duties put me on the main floor with the exhibits, tasked with repairing exhibits as needed as well as supporting the staff. That is how I would end up interacting with Harriet.
I would always talk to Harriet. I was interested in helping her with her volunteer job given her disability. I wanted to see her succeed. We became friendly. I would go so far as to say that I looked out for her. There were other staff who also did the same.
Many of the staff were young and either in high school or early years of college. The weekend staff exhibit staff leader was Mandy (name changed), also a young woman in her early 20’s. I was not particularly fond of her. She had a habit of sitting at the front desk complaining about what everyone else was not doing while she was sitting there doing nothing. I usually made myself scarce and went about my business by avoiding Mandy as much as possible.
Over time Mandy grew frustrated with Harriet. While we all knew Harriet had a disability, it seemed Mandy had little patience for her. Her disdain for Harriet deepened, and the two of them would clash. The primary issue I understood it to be was Mandy would ask Harriet to do something and Harriet would fail to complete the task. Mandy eventually started reporting Harriet to the Exhibits Staff Manager in her reports.
Personally, I never had an issue with Harriet and when I did work with her, occasionally I also needed to ask her to complete a task. Sometimes I would need to remind her, but generally speaking, she would always complete the task.
One Saturday afternoon I was talking to Harriet, and she informed me that she had been looking to leave the science museum to work at a local hospital. It wasn’t just a volunteer job. It was a real job. She even explained that the job was created with the intentions to help people with disabilities. I was excited for her. I also knew that the tensions were high between her and Mandy and it was coming to a head. Harriet knew it was coming as well.
Harriet would keep me informed of her progress towards this new job she was about to get and the schedule for when she was going to make the move. Then it happened. Mandy and Harriet got into it. Their disagreement wasn’t any large event, but it was enough that Mandy informed me that she was pushing to get Harriet removed. I knew what I had to do. I had to take a stand for Harriet. Not for her behavior but for her disability.
Proactively I went to the science museum the following Monday first thing to meet with the Exhibits Staff Manager. My ask was not in defense of Harriet for her actions; it was in defense of her disability and treating her with grace as she worked towards her new job at the hospital. My position was simple. Grant Harriet grace as to not crush her hope for her future as she would be leaving in the next couple of weeks for her new job anyway.
That is when the Exhibits Staff Manager proceeded to tell me that I was a focal point on Harriet’s ‘myspace’ account. Apparently, my name and our conversations were all over her account. I guess she had a crush on me? I don’t really know, and I don’t really care. My response to the Exhibits Staff Manager was this: ‘I really don’t care what she wrote about me, and I was not sitting there to discuss that. My position does not change. Harriet has a disability, and we owe her the principle of helping her get to her next step regardless of the circumstances.’ (Note: my opinion was these circumstances did not warrant mistreatment of someone with a disability but rather they indicated we needed to help.)
Harriet worked a couple more weekends and made a successful transition to her new job. I was satisfied that I may have had made a difference for her. I was also 100% sure that I would never get involved in social media.
Over the years I have used my wife’s Facebook account. I found out that there are some useful purposes for Facebook. I would often get a conversation that would go like this: ‘Did you see the pictures from our event last night?’ My Answer: ‘No.’ Their reply: ‘It’s on Facebook.’ I would use my wife’s Facebook account to view things like that. My wife does not use Facebook much either. Recently we discovered that by not using Facebook we have missed out on wedding and birth announcements. We have even missed funeral announcements by not using Facebook.
More recently, I wanted to be part of an online community that is linked into a ministry I care about deeply. I caved this past July and created a Facebook account to be further part of that ministry. Yes, I now have a private Facebook account. What it has done is it has given me insight into several things. First, Facebook marketplace is quite easier than that old Craigslist method of finding things. Second, I am literally having a 30-year reunion with my high school graduation class.
The bigger thing that is happening with Facebook is some family that I have lost touch with are now connecting with me. I have a large family and I have a ton of cousins. There is an age gap due to the layout of my Dad’s family spanning 18 years difference in youngest to oldest. My Dad was the youngest. My Aunts and Uncle were like Grandparents to me. My first cousins are almost like Uncles to me. We are in the 1st cousin 4th removed cousin phase with my children and my cousin’s children. While I have lost touch with the younger generation, it doesn’t mean I do not have interest in their families.
In God’s book – the Bible, family lineage is listed out on many occasions. Quite frankly, I find these verses quite boring. In the past I would generally just skip them altogether. What I found in my more recent studies of the Bible is there is an importance to that lineage. When you read lineage in the Bible, there are always little gems to find within the list of names. These gems are statements and descriptions that provide links to God and Jesus.
The purpose of lineages in the Bible is to provide a history of succession and continuity and legitimacy. It helps us follow priest and royal lines through Israel’s story. It is also there to provide proof to the Jews that Christ is indeed the Messiah.
Here are some examples of things you will find when you read lineage in the Bible. You will find reference to numbers which serve as an important role in understanding the Bible. Not the Book of Numbers, but numbers such as One (One Body) Three (Trinity – Father son and Holy Spirit) and Seven (Completion). Other references are statements of prophetic events to come. Below is a quick hit list of statements I pulled. There are many of these types of references in the lineage verses throughout the Bible.
‘in the land of his birth’ Gen 11: 28
‘unable to conceive’ ‘ Gen 11: 30
‘great trees’ Gen 14: 13
‘bread and wine’ Gen 14: 18
‘tenth of everything’ Gen 14: 20
Exodus 6: 13 – 25 validates Moses and Aaron’s link to the priestly line as the chosen. God’s sovereign choice.
Matthew 1: 1-17 Follows Abraham through the tribe of Judah through King David to Jesus.
Matthew 1: 1-17 the number 14 is double that of seven giving double perfection. There are more interpretations of the meaning of 14. I encourage you to look them up!
Honestly, the study of genealogy in the Bible is necessary to understand all of its meaning. Maybe a big mention I missed in my hit list above is God knows you. YOU ARE KNOWN. Luke 12: 7 excerpt ‘Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered.’
I have only given you a snapshot of the importance of genealogy in God’s Book.
While Facebook has provided us with a wonderful way to get to know and keep in touch with family and friends, God’s book gives us a documentary of the history of the messiah. God’s book gives a what to do and what not to do story.
The Bible is a document of history. The Bible only exists because of the great event. Without Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection we have no Bible. God’s book was not created until about 300 AD (ish). It was created to tell the story of Jesus.
God’s book provides the story of history and evidence that Jesus was and is the messiah. In God’s book there is a design for living by the Spirit. There are principles to live by and a Gospel to share with everyone – Jew or Gentile(non-Jew) it doesn’t matter – it is for all. Most of all there is HOPE. Hope for us here on earth for eternal life and the return of our Savior Jesus.
When it comes to God’s book, don’t treat it like I treated Facebook. It is the most important book you can read. Find the Bible confusing and contradictory? Yes, I admit it was the same for me.
There are two places that my Pastor suggested for me to start reading the Bible. Psalms is a great place to start. I also like Proverbs. That is where I started over 8 years ago.
The summary of Proverbs 1 is that by reading the bible, one will gain wisdom and understanding.
Don’t ignore the best-selling book on the market. Don’t miss!
God’s book!
Want a summary of God’s book? You can read it here: (click the link)