The other day I was browsing Facebook and found this avatar world community thing. Curiosity struck a chord, so I spent the next half hour creating a character and entering this world. I was shocked with what I found; it was an avatar world where people try to live like it is real life. They had shopping malls, bowling alleys, beaches, hotels, parks, bus stops, and even swimming pools. What was even more amazing was the people in this world. I saw avatars asking if anyone wanted to be their father or mother because they wanted starting a family. Not in a perverted way, but in fantasy life sort of way. Also, you could be in one of the locations I mentioned earlier and wait several minutes, and next thing you know you can witness someone ask another person out on a date; and if your nosy like me, you can even follow them. I watched one couple go on four different dates. Then I was invited to their wedding which, strangely enough, took place in Heaven. I guess in this avatar world anything is possible.
During the pretend wedding ceremony, the minister asked asked if anyone had any objections. I was bold, and I typed in “I have a question.” I asked why they were doing this whole fantasy world and taking it so seriously. Their answer unveiled a realistic truth. They said, “In this world we don’t have to worry about getting hurt.”
Whoa! Did you hear that? People are substituting a fake world for the real world. The real world and real relationships can bring pain, but also great joy. This is the basic principle of our existence. We are here to relate with each other. God created us for fellowship with Him and with each other.
Genesis 1 deals with God preparing the environment; the earth for His ultimate creation…us. In the second half of Genesis 1, after God creates the earth, he turns His attention to us. So, how wonderful it is that God would care enough for us that He made sure we would have everything we needed before creating us. We were not an afterthought or some sort of filler for the earth, in truth we were God’s culmination of a detailed and love-filled plan. We were created in His image for the purpose of fellowship with Him. How wonderful to have someone who cares that much about us. We weren’t accidents or genetic mutations; we are the result of careful planning and attention.
Real relationships are a risk, but we were created for fellowship. So risk away, because no matter how many times you get hurt, tomorrow brings a new day, and God is always there for fellowship with you, and a relationship with Him is no risk. He cares too much to hurt you.