Followers and Friends
I have 218 followers on Twitter and 575 friends on Facebook. I’m not bragging, just saying. It can’t be bragging because far too often I run across someone who has 10,000+ followers on Twitter and I’m no where near the number of Facebook friends that either of my daughters have.
But I have to say I kind of wish that twitter had picked a word other than “follower” and I wish that Facebook had chosen a word other than “friend.” It somewhat cheapens both words — doesn’t it? Of course I’m not sure what the twitter word would be for “people I don’t know but every once in awhile would like to know that they are watching American Idol.” I’m not sure what what the facebook word would be for “people I knew over 15 years ago who ask to be my friend but never respond to my comments.”
Now I actually appreciate both twitter and facebook, appreciate and use them. I think they are great “front porch” (See my earlier post “UNfriend“) opportunities. So this isn’t really about either fb or twitter — it’s about the words friend and follower.
I wonder if we shouldn’t reserve those words for something a bit deeper — at least in the world of faith. Read John 15 sometime — Jesus takes friendship to a whole-nother level!
What is a friend? Who are your friends? What is a follower? Who do you follow? If someone is following you — where are you leading them?