Authentic relationships

24 January 2020

And all across the land there was the wailing and gnashing of teeth, as the children realised their holidays were over, and the days of learning were upon them again.

School goes back in less than a week, and our family have been busy getting ready, in that yearly ritual of organising supplies and naming everything.

The start of a new school year provides opportunities for new friendships to form, and Sarah and I encourage our boys to have a broad range of relationships at school. However, there is something to be said for having a few key friendships that have developed deeply over time… ‘old friends’ are important for all, even children.

In Mark 3, Jesus identifies twelve disciples who will be the people that he will spend the most time with, eat with, and teach more intensively than the others. Jesus, God of the universe, who has thousands of followers, sticks with those twelve to do life deeply with, and as a result, they continue to carry out his mission after he ascends to heaven.

Like Jesus, let’s be intentional this year about doing life deeply with “the few”. Let’s work towards being authentic and vulnerable with a small group of relationships, and really grow together… It’s what Jesus would do!

Brendan