Have you ever heard someone say, “He/she has friends in high places”? Or. perhaps, “It’s not what you know; it’s whom you know”? As a young man with a fledgling career, I’m certainly finding out these statements are true, to my consternation! My skills and qualifications matter less than I thought they might while I was learning or pursuing them, while networking – being connected with other people in my field of interest – matters a great deal more.
This is true of life in general. What we do only gets us so far; even the world’s most successful people often feel empty inside. We need connection to thrive and grow. Time spent with others, such as family, friends and healthy working environments are often the most fulfilling experiences of our lives. And, of course, our most important connection is with God – something that Jesus (Matthew 22: 37- 40, John (1 John 4), Paul (1 Corinthians 12) and others all tell us is linked to connections with others. We are all part of the same body: He is the vine, we are the branches.
Do you have a friend in the highest place of all? Do you know Him above anything else? How does that have an impact on your relationships? The recent pandemic has taught us above all else how important our church family is, where we are all together, despite any circumstance. Let’s give it the priority it deserves, and get connected!
(James Ross-Naylor)