My cousin once told me, “I don’t have accept facebook friend requests for people over 30.” I asked about myself, and she said, “Sorry, even you!” I laughed, and later realized that she’ll have to “up” the age restriction to 40 in several years when she turns 30.

It’s a shame, but this type of facebook age discrimination takes place in the covenant community called the church. I can remember one of my former youth explaining, “I don’t want that old guy looking at my pictures. That’s creepy.” Perhaps it is. I can’t get in the mind of a teenage girl-nor do I necessarily want to be there! But what about older ladies? Should that be creepy too?

Earlier this week, one of my ex-“friends” on facebook posted something a bit concerning (my comments got me de-friended). It was the standard youth self-centered myopic comments I’ve come to know and but not so much love, yet expect. But what was beautiful was an older “friend” in her 70’s who offered a simple regret and disappointment at such a post. The day before she even questioned a related post, explaining that the life of a teenager isn’t as bad as teenager’s think. Easier said, or written, than done. 

Whether or not any of these concerns were or will be taken to heart is hard to tell. Yet I think its a beautiful thing for teenagers to have more adults involved in their lives than only their parents and some sort of youth pastor. It takes a whole covenant community, and it is a beautiful to see the older taking an interest in the younger.