by Randall Friesen

This is a time in our western civilization when we are becoming more fragmented and disconnected as people.
Oh, we say we are more connected than ever before with our cell phones and txt-ing and emails and blogs and on and on it goes.
But the truth is we are still separating ourselves from others at an alarming rate of speed.
It might be that a new job opportunity moves us away from home. Or we work longer hours and hours that take away our opportunity to be with people we care about. Maybe we feel like people are busy with their own lives so we don’t fit in with them any longer.
Whatever the reasons, we are simply coming to the place where there are less and less significant people in our lives on a daily basis.
Doctors are saying that this is one of the reasons we are increasingly living with low level stress in our lives. That leads to physical ailments, emotional problems and relational breakdowns.
It also leads to spiritual deadness.
Paul reminds us in Colossians 2:19 that we are joined together in Christ’s body “…supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.”
The ligaments and sinews and some translations include “Joints,” are the connecting points of the body of Christ. They are the places where two parts of the body meet together, where they “Relate.”
Since we as followers of Christ are part of Christ’s body, we are growing in Christ as we connect and relate to others in his Body. If we separate ourselves from others, then how can we grow in Christ?
Indeed, if we are cut off from his body we will die.
So these days I’m thinking about whom I am connected to. Who do I have relationship with, who do I invite into my life and share life experiences with?
I need friends in my life who will walk with me and challenge me and grow with me because that is what causes me to grow.
Who are the people in your life who have access to your heart? Maybe spending some time cultivating relationships is the best and most spiritual thing we can do for a while?
Build something eternal and gracious and life giving in your relationships. Start by calling somebody up and go out for coffee, and welcome them into your life.
Then pay for the coffee.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 21st, 2007 at 3:43 am and is filed under Relationships, Spirituality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.