Do You Tweet?

I’m just not sure how I feel about micro-blogging. I remember when my brother more than a decade ago asked me what I knew about blogging. I hemmed and hawed because I thought myself tech savvy and finally bailed out with some kind of logging joke. I now have a blog (http://danmcquiddy.blogspot.com). Someone recently asked me if I tweet. They were making reference to the social networking, micro-blogging brain child of Jack Dorsey, called Twitter. It basically is a quick way for mass distributing to friends and interested parties what you’re currently doing, thinking or promoting. It is fast-food, microwave, text messaging communication that some might protest is at best narcissistic and at its worst a catalyst for unfiltered, shallow communication that throws caution to the wind by telling all while telling nothing. That is, Twitter’s logo is a bird (hence a post is a tweet) and the danger is such squawking and tweeting may contribute to less meaningful dialogue and reflective writing… or maybe it’s just harmless fun keeping people connected?

It did make me think of Scriptural exhortations to let your conversation be always full of grace and that what ever we do in word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus! Weighing ones words and reflective thought have suffered in a world that prizes instant communication and information. In Pam’s kindergarten class there is a lone desk and chair that bears the sign “Reflection.” The higher powers of elementary education determined that “Time Out” was too negative and replaced it with “Reflection.” It is however, reminiscent of our mothers final instructions shouted through our bedroom door, “You just sit there and think about what you did for awhile, Mister/Sister!” Yes, reflection is good for the soul but what’s even better is to think before we speak and to choose carefully the words we share so they can be full of grace.

Now, I said all of that to tweet this… social interaction is an important part of the health of society and the church. The most often complaint I hear is that we don’t have enough communication. What I believe is true about that is we don’t communicate. There is plenty of tweeting, bulletin listing, PowerPoint posting, pulpit announcing, telephone and e-mail chaining that you could wallpaper a bedroom. What’s missing is attention. We’ve all ran a stop sign or red light because we weren’t focused. The real tweet here is to pay attention to one another. Really informed people know things before they are announced because they stay on the alert, focused, concerned and attentive. This is not advocacy for nosey busybody activity but the simple exhortation to stay in touch. Keep yourself close to those who mean the most to you! -DAN