John 13:34-35 and a short trip down Memory Lane

Growing up, I had two best friends named Spencer and Eric.  We went everywhere together, for a long, long time.  We started in 1st grade, and ended when we graduated high school.  We played on the same football team starting with the YMCA Orange Crush when we were 6, and finished as captains on our HS football team.  I was the quarterback, Spence was the fullback, and Eric played tailback. 

It just hit me that we were the starting backfield together.  Wait a second while I reminisce...

Through the years, we played every sport imaginable together, went on family vacations together, got suspended from school together (WE WERE INNOCENT!!  I AM SERIOUS!)

You get the point.

Every memory I have from school involves one of them, or a girlfriend.  The memories with them were less angst-filled, I assure you.

Senior Trip

Family vacation to Disney World (I tagged along with Spencer's fam)

Camp at the Wilds in North Carolina

Burger King every Friday night after whatever game we played.

Handstand wars

Ping-King Wall Ball

Spunky and Bull-foot

The Dawg

Dorker's Sweepstakes Yacht (now that's a great story)

Man, those are great memories that I will cherish.  I will speak for Eric and Spence and say that they would agree.

And yet, you don't have a CLUE what I am talking about for most of those.  We had so many shared memories and moments that no one else could possibly understand. 

Oh, I could tell you the stories.  You would possibly laugh.  Likely roll your eyes and say "guess you had to be there" or something in that range.

We had signals to get each other's attention in class.  For Spence and I it was easy.  A light "sp" would get his attention from across the room.  My name is also easily sounded out, and Eric was just the "K" sound.  Not highly advanced, I know, but it was amazing that no one else in the room ever knew we were doing it.  They didn't even hear it, but I knew exactly when they called me, and vice-versa. 

One of the 3 real fights I ever got into, I still don't know why I was fighting!  Eric was getting into it with some guy at the ballpark, two guys jumped him.  I was 30 yards away.  Of course, I went running and started taking care of business because my friend was in trouble.  To this day, I don't know what happened.  Doesn't matter.  He needed back-up.  I had his back.

Everyone knew who we were and that we were tight.  Thick as thieves.  In cahoots.

We were so much in tune with each other, it was downright scary.  I almost feel sorry for the teachers and coaches who tried to corral us.  We were unstoppable!!!

John 13:34-35:

"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

As believers and followers of Christ, we are unstoppable as well.

Spencer, Eric and I may have occasionally used our bond for less than noble reasons, but the way we functioned as a unit was incredible.

I love the idea of Connect Groups, or small groups, where believers can "do life together" (common phrase I hear thrown around these days.)  At first, I thought this was far-fetched, and unrealistic.  Our culture screams that we need to be INDEPENDENT.  In manners of living the God-Centered life, we need to be CO-DEPENDENT at times.

There should be common bonds between believers that those outside can't quite grasp.  I AM NOT PREACHING AN EXCLUSIONARY FAITH.  Please don't read that into this.

But if we are Seekers of the same God, shouldn't we be sharing a sense of commonality that non-believers can see and sense?  Our mannerisms, language, hobbies, lifestyles, activities shouldn't be exactly the same...Maybe I am off-base, but our love FOR EACH OTHER as a Faith Family should be Apparent.  Obvious.  Necessary.  Desired (by us and in turn, them).

We should have each other's backs.  All the time.  No questions asked.

We should have an unseen bond that others envy.

There is no telling what the Church could do if we let go of our own selfish wants, and we truly LOVED one another; not for our own good, but for the other believers' good, and for the cause of honoring, glorifying and magnifying Christ.

We indeed should be "Doing Life Together" to spread the Gospel and hold each other accountable....not to exclude, but to draw non-followers to desire to be included.

The Church is UNSTOPPABLE...we just don't know it. 

Or live it.