JR. Forasteros - August 30, 2015
Infinite Jolly Ranchers
We're taught only to be friends with those who can benefit us in some way. Even the Ancient Romans valued this kind of friendship. But Jesus shows us a different way: to engage in friendships for what you can GIVE, not what you can get. When we love God, we have more than enough to go around. We can love and give without worry that we won't have enough.
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How many times have y’all had to participate in trust building exercises? Maybe it was in couples’ therapy. Or in school. Maybe in the workplace.
I have a confession: I love those sorts of activities. I know most people hate them, but I think they’re so much fun. (What can I say: I’m an extrovert and I love games.) So whether it’s a trust fall or an obstacle course, sign me up!
We’re going to talk about trust today, so I was reviewing a bunch of these exercises. I think my favorite is the Blindfold Obstacle course. If you’ve never done this one, you set up an obstacle course – you can do it as simply as using chairs and string or something. Then you pair up. One person wears a blindfold and has to navigate the obstacle course. The other is only allowed to direct their partner using verbal cues. Stop! Turn left! Five steps forward! That sort of thing.
This is a trust-building exercise because the person wearing the blindfold has to obey despite the fact that they can’t see. It also reveals how differently we communicate. You can’t complete a blindfold obstacle course without learning to communicate and trust.
Communication and trust – two essential aspects of a strong, faith-filled relationship. That’s true for our relationships with each other – romantic partners, business relationships, friendships – and it’s true of our relationship with God.
What do trust-building exercises with God look like? That’s a trickier question, and one Jesus shows us the answer to.
