Week 7 | Tuesday

Read: James 1:22-25

Imagine drawing five concentric circles with the word “me” in the center. This is for your closest relationships, reserved for the people who know all your business – past and present. You share your secrets and your struggles with these folks. This is the smallest circle because it’s restricted to the people you love, trust, and confide in the most. Who do you allow in that circle with you?

The largest circle is also the one farthest away from you. It’s for people you meet, talk to, and enjoy, but you can’t honestly call what you have a relationship. You’re friends who share values, get together regularly, confide in one another, and turn to each other when you need help. You’re not even acquaintances whose kids are in the same class, who you see at church, or who stay connected online. You’re each just “that guy (or lady) I met that one time at that thing.”

The connections that exist between these extremes include various levels of affinity and trust. Let’s DTR these connections real quick. It’s time to define the relationship. Not like “Do you like me? Check yes or no” talk, but an honest look at which circles your people are in. Start with the five people you listed yesterday. Are they all in your inner circle? Five is actually a lot for that one. Draw five concentric circles and place those people where they fit best in these circles. 

Now, reflect on this question: Who helps you grow in your faith? Not by setting an example. Not by teaching or preaching. Who opens a Bible or book or video and digs in with you? Put a star by their name if it’s any of your five. If it’s not, add those names to one of your circles. Not every circle is defined. That’s okay. Trust your gut.

These relationships are super important, but they can be hard to form. The easiest way to start and arguably the best way to keep this kind of connection in your life is through groups. Most groups meet once a week and engage in a Bible study, book, video series, or activity together. Time is built into each gathering to get to know each other, learn something, and pray together. When people join a group, they know they’re getting into a room with people who have at least two things in common: the reason that group meets (an activity, a particular topic, a season of life, etc.) and Jesus. Even if not everyone is a Christian, they’re there because they want to know more about this Jesus and/or they want to spend time with his people.

Connections formed in groups probably fit around the third circle for most people. They require us to be open, but not an open book. We make connections, but those might end when the Group is done. All of that is good. Not all relationships are created equal, so let’s give our connections the freedom to be what they are. Connections made through Groups, however deep they go or long they last, spur us on to live out our faith.

Grab some paper, draw your circles, and map your friends.