Connect

Are you on Facebook? How many friends do you have? As you open that profile page and scroll down to check, let me ask you another question; of all those friends, how many of them do you actually chat with on a regular basis? Be honest here, you and I both know that if you have 100 friends, you talk to less than 10 of them regularly, unless of course you are a teenager.


Seriously, less than ten percent is a for real number. I have written about your sphere of influence before but this is so much different. I have come to understand something recently and that is that I cannot spend enough time being in relationship with others. If you have 100 friends on Facebook, find a way to chat with 25 a week. Of course that seems audacious at the moment but it is a challenge.


What I want you to think about are all of the challenges you face on a daily basis. Specifics are not important at the moment, just think of all the times you feel bent out of shape, or upset, or frustrated, or ready for a break, or tired or even pissed off. There are more of course, but think of something else; there are a pool of people out there that you know, that go through the same things you do every day. When you feel challenged, there are 25 people (at least) near you who are feeling challenged too.


Now take the bold step, reach out and talk to someone. There are so many ways to connect with people these days. Phone call, text, email, IMchat, Skype, snail mail, in person…need I say more? Share your challenges and invite others to share theirs. What you will find is that by doing so you have opened a vein that allows others to be relational with you.


What is relational? What is it like to have a relationship? Being relational is simply having a connection to someone or something. Being in a relationship is regular connection with someone or something. When you open up to others and chat with them about your challenges and listen to theirs, you begin to take steps toward a relationship. Keep making that connection regularly and there you have it!


Sure it takes time and commitment, but you haven’t heard the best part yet. When we connect with others relationally, that is on a regular basis, our needs are met as well. We have a chance to share our challenges, our hurts, our triumphs and our lives with people who quite possibly share common ideals.


Unfortunately, here is what usually happens…we make preconceived notions about certain people based on limited information and we refuse to make a connection. We shut off the very idea of talking or chatting with someone because they don’t think like we do, or at least we believe that to be true. When we fail to talk to others because of passing judgment, we are literally silencing a voice in our life, shutting off an opportunity to share, eliminating a connection.

Don’t be that guy, don’t buy that nonsense. Take chances by reaching out to others and give them the time of day to talk. Meet someone for coffee once a week, chat people up on Facebook or Twitter or whatever, just start talking…more importantly, start connecting.
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My life is not mine, and yet it is mine to live for Him. Peace to you all.
D