Who are you? This is a question about what makes us unique and different (special too!) from everyone else. It looks at our Identity and our history – it encroaches on our confidentiality. Facebook is often criticised for changes to security settings which can lead people to reveal what they would rather be hidden. If our lives were more transparent and accountable, perhaps this would not be so much of a problem – but then there is the safety and protection of the vulnerable and younger members which would mean that most parents would understandably like a higher level of security and confidentiality. Even now many members are under the legal minimum age of 13 and have therefore needed to lie to open their account.
We also live in complicated times of political correctness and excessive legalism. I guess that more than 99% of people just tick the box which says "I have read and agree to the terms and conditions". Practically, this is the only option for most of us – since the Google terms and conditions now run to more words than Shakespeare's Hamlet (and certainly would be very boring if put on the stage in Stratford!). This was underlined to me by a salutary story - the terms and conditions of Gamestation were modified on April Fools Day 2010 to include an immortal soul clause "you agree to grant us a non-transferable option to claim, for now and for ever more, your immortal soul" – needless to say it was a joke, but 88% of the 7,500 people ordering on their site that day ticked the box proving that they don't read the small print – fortunately Gamestation renounced their claim immediately!
I often forget that there is one person we can't hide from and one friend that will never let us down. He also never sleeps and is "always on" but never too busy to be there for us.
Lord, help me to see the bigger picture and not to be so taken up with things of the world that I don't have time for you. Thank you for being my true friend and Father. Amen.
Dave MacLellan
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