We Are Light | in darkness

“Everybody Knows Somebody Who Love a Honda”

I confess. I love Honda. I signed up to receive their emails so I could be among the first to see photos of their new Accord Crosstour. Yesterday, I received an email with pictures (nice) and also information about a “social experiment” they are conducting to prove that “everybody knows somebody who loves a Honda.” I laughed — they really just want the consumers and supporters to tell everybody about their new car. However, the latter statement would be too close to asking for free advertisement. Honda knows that people would much rather share something to help someone rather than helping a “thing” even if it is the “thing” that connects the people in the first place.

Huh? Let me further explain. Had I not been an avid Honda fan, I would never subscribe to receive that email from them. I was connected to Honda by the car. Now, because I love their cars, I actually participated in their “social experiment.” In social media terms, I am now connected to a whole new set of friends by this “social object” or Honda car.

To be fair, Honda was not the first to link us to social objects, which are just items or characteristics that connect people on a specific network. Youtube use videos. Pet-files uses pets. Flickr used pictures. WeGame uses games. Yet, the true connection happens when the network users start engaging with each other by sharing stories, opinions, happenings, etc.

How will you truly connect with the people you meet on social networks like Twitter? What social objects can we use as Christians? Perhaps, it’s simply our testimony. Maybe everybody knows somebody who needs a word of encouragement today. Everybody knows somebody who likes an unexpected gift. Everybody knows somebody who would just loves a referral. There are many groups that focus solely on characteristics. If there is no group with your topic, you can always start one.

Being prayerful and open to share your testimony in social media is not an assignment but rather an attitude that you should develop on- and off-line. Practice sharing a word of encouragement, an unexpected gift, and a referral with someone. The blessing is simply in being able to be a blessing. Get past the social object and let God really connect His way.

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