Friends, conversation and journeying

Just seen this on Asbo Jesus and it struck a cord for me.

This week I’ve spent some time with friends and its been great! I went to Bristol for the college community day and was able to see folks who have been part of my life and my days at college. In some respects it felt as though I’d not left but on the other had it feels like everything has changed in my life and things haven’t in Bristol. It was good to have some space and think about ministry, church, and life. It was great to have conversation about what’s going on in other people’s lives, to see people I know well and who know me, and to reflect about what’s going on. It was also an opportunity to feel connected to a community which is much bigger than my locality.

Then yesterday it struck me again how we relate to one another that people are important, that God is interested in relationships and he made us to be in relationships. Having time to be with people, to talk and have the freedom to share things or not to is the gift of friendships. I find it interesting to talk to people who have ideas and thoughts that are different to mine they challenge me to go deeper to ask more questions to find out the values that people hold and how that shapes who they are. I hope I don’t stop wanting to talk to people who don’t think the same as me, ok so to a certain extent we are all different but sometimes we go with the party line sometimes its useful to share with like-minded people but most of the time I find it refreshing when someone has a different perspective and challenges my world-view. Most of the time I don’t know where I’m going, and I guess I’m rather post-modern about it I don’t worry too much about the journey end but I’m more concerned with the journey itself. I’m thankful for those that I journey with and who also journey with me. I wonder if we concentrated more on relationships in church where that might take us?