“we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too. . . . .”
This is an incredible statement. Let me ask you, how your life been most impacted by others? Is it the information they imparted? Is it the advice, help, money, material items, opportunities they gave you? Maybe their impact has to do with encouragement, belief in you or “straight shooting” input into your life.
Here’s what I think. All of the above matters, but more than anything else my life has been shaped by those who “shared their lives” with me. People who were just there, who’s spirit touched my spirit and something real and life impacting happened. In particular when a Christ follower shares his or her life with me, it’s not just my spirit and their spirit connecting, but it’s Christ’s Spirit, connecting with my spirit, touching and receiving Christ’s spirit in them connected to their spirit. In short, Christ’s Spirit to Christ’s Spirit. This is Biblical Connection.
The phrase “one another” occurs 51 times in the New Testament. That’s the Biblical word “koinonia”, Holy Spirit infused fellowship.
Mostly it’s just doing life together. I guess it can happen to a degree through letters, facebook or twitter, but only to a degree. I think there’s power in “sharing our very lives” which ultimately means life to life, face to face, person to person.
Do you “share your very life” with others?
My life has been impacted most through intimate relationship, that is just as God's love is, honestly knowing and honestly being known. Tenuous and uncomfortable initially but ultimately miraculous and fulfilling.
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