#42: The Incredible Power of Relationships

“If you want to go quickly, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together.”

Today’s post is going to look a little different than most others.  Often with Life After Missions, we have a funny little anecdote, a few thoughts on typical re-entry struggles, and something of a reflection piece or a call to action.  And honestly, I’ve tried every night this week to sit down and write something that fits the usual tone of this site.  But every night this week, I’ve been overwhelmed by the sheer weight of grief from the horrible things that have been going on in the world in recent months.

A real trigger point for me this week is the now-infamous image of a Syrian toddler, about the same age as my son, drowned and washed up on the beach.  It hits a nerve for me, because I can’t stop thinking, “That could be my son.”  But it doesn’t stop there.  The recent Planned Parenthood videos (again, with our daughter due to arrive any day now, this is a sore spot).  The rampant gun violence in my home country, and the refusal of many Christians here to even acknowledge the problem.  Donald Trump’s hair and Hillary Clinton’s emails.  The internet has become an increasingly depressing place.

As many of you know, we’ve been running a series recently on living out missional values in a non-missions context.  We’re continuing that today, but with something of a different vantage point.  Today, we’re gonna talk about relationships.

It can be tempting to isolate ourselves when we’re overwhelmed by the world.  I did it for months after returning from missions–I sat in my room and streamed reruns of sitcoms until I fell asleep.  And do you know what else I did?

Not much of anything.

It was after I put down my laptop and stepped out of the door, when I engaged with those around me, that I started making progress in re-entry.  At that time, that was just about all I was capable of–working on establishing meaningful relationships in a new context.  It took work, but eventually it happened.  And I was only ever able to effect change, or for that matter grow in my own character, in the context of relationship.

That was true then, and it’s true now.  The only way to address these issues in the world is in the context of relationships.

Jesus has a lot to say on the matter.  “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.”  And also elsewhere, “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.”

Even the Trinity worked together in relationship at the Creation.  “Let Us make man in Our image…”

Relationships are fundamental to the Kingdom of God.  And in this Kingdom, when we agree, we’re given authority over what happens on the Earth.  We’re also given great opportunity to grow, along with a renewed sense of purpose, when we work together with like-minded people to bring the Kingdom here.

Life After Missions is meant to be more than a blog.  We’re a community, full of like-minded people, who are all going through various trials and victories.  Right now, lets be in agreement on these issues.  Lets work to bring Heaven to Earth, right now, together.

I would like to ask you to stop for a moment and pray.  Pray for the war in Syria.  Pray for the refugees.  Pray for your leaders.  Pray for the poor.  Pray for the unborn.  Pray for the marginalized, the sick, the sinners, and the lost.  And in so doing, know that you have at least two or more in agreement with you–we really are in this together.

Additionally, I encourage you to take further action.  If you’re in the US, please sign this petition to allow refugees to be settled here.  If you’re in Europe, use this form to write to the European Commission on Humanitarian Aid.  Wherever you are, whatever the issues, keep praying.  Write to your governments.  Donate to trustworthy causes.  Refuse to do nothing.

As a final thought, we need to view all of this through the lens of the cross.  God looked upon our depravity and overcame all of it.  He knew our sinful nature inside and out.  He knew about Syria.  He knew about Auschwitz.  He knew about abortion.  But He demonstrated His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  We see the ugliness of sin, but the cross is still more powerful.

…And that power is at work in us.  So together, in relationship, let’s do something with it.