"As the scale of
the balance must give way to the weight that presses it down, so the mind
yields to demonstration." (Cicero)
Can Facebook communication really
demonstrate friendship to others?
I stared at the keys of my laptop. What should I say? This was it, the most harrowing experience for a
Latter Day Saint, that moment when a Facebook “friend”—who is also “Latter Day
Saint”—posts an attack against our
faith on their Facebook feed. A member of my congregation was basically saying,
“I quit; religion is stupid.” There I sat, slouched over my laptop awaiting inspiration.
Obviously, the most important thing was that he knew I
cared about him. I also knew that, in general, he wasn’t very fond of church
leadership. So, I typed my comment carefully and awaited his response. I waited
for days, but I didn’t see a thing. Had he not logged into Facebook? Why wouldn’t
he check this post daily (if not hourly) on such a heated topic? After all,
there were dozens of comments beside the one I made. Still, there was nothing.
I decided to talk to this “friend,” and I made sure to do
it in person. I reached out with a simple act of service—taking him some doughnuts
that were leftover from an office party—which he happily received. Doughnuts in
hand, he let me into his apartment and we were able to have a caring
conversation about his concerns. I left that night as his friend, not just his “friend.”
Lesson learned: nothing replaces a genuine, personal
demonstration of friendship (aka: an act of service).
