For now we see through a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully, even as I have been known fully. I Corinthians 13.12

            But we, brethren, having been bereft from you by a short while – in person not in spirit – were all the more eager with great desire to see your face. I Thessalonians 2.17

            We keep earnestly praying, night and day, that we may see your face and may complete what is lacking in your faith. I Thessalonians 3.10

            Having many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come and speak to you face to face, that your joy may be made full. 2 John 1.12

            The passages above are about Christian communication. Each of them assumes that face to face communication is superior to other forms, and should be sought if possible. In the first Paul asserts that until he can see God face to face, he will not fully know (see also I John 3.2). John, in II John tells the “chosen lady” to whom he writes that he has things to communicate for which paper and ink will be insufficient tools. He needs to speak to her “face to face.” In the original Greek text he actually says “mouth to mouth.”  Paul and John were unfortunate in that they had no smart phones, nor full access to texting and tweeting, and could not add emojis to their written communication. If they had these modern tools they wouldn’t feel burdened with actually looking someone in the eye when they communicate.

            I suppose you know I’m being sarcastic J. Perhaps “snarky” is a more precise word to use. If we were speaking face to face you could tell from my tone, and the way I roll my eyes that “snarky” is certainly a better word to use than “sarcastic.”

            I am writing to confess that I recently blew up a panel discussion on young people and social media.  The title of the discussion was “Protecting our Children from Social Media.” The two hipsters (I use that term affectionately J) who presided over the panel told us we should learn to stop worrying and love pinterest. Social Media was presented as a modern manifestation and fulfillment of that Coca Cola commercial where young people held hands on the mountainside and sang about wanting to teach the world to sing. Sitting front and center, I commented that what they said about the advantages of social media was so obvious it was cliché. Anything that helps us cast a broader net helps us share the gospel better. But they were tasked with talking about “protecting” young people – which seemed unnecessary, according to them.

            “My big problem,” I said, “is not so much the temptations on the internet, but the way that no one looks another person in the eye. No one ever looks up from their phones for any reason - which, to me, is NOT communicating, and IS disrespectful.”  Those poor young men, unprepared for this argument, were set to squirming in their skinny jeans while the audience (most of whom were old enough to have voted for Reagan) rallied behind me like the townspeople who set out to hunt down Frankenstein.

            I feel embarrassed (a little L), for blitzkrieging these well-informed, well-intentioned young men. But I am not backing down from my contention that two people sitting together in an otherwise empty room should talk, not text to each other. I believe that when someone is talking to me, and I keep my face in a screen I am not showing any interest, or attention to that person.  What I am showing them is disrespect.

            I believe that in the same way Christians used the brand new technology of the book (instead of the old technology of the scroll) to share the gospel, we should use every tool we can to better communicate. I also believe – as did Paul and John, that face to face communication cannot be replaced by tools and technologies.