A little over a week ago, I moved from a suburban area just outside the city of Richmond, Virginia to Stafford, Virginia which is a booming area just south of the hustle and bustle of Washington, D.C. I thought that I was moving into an area that would have been near the pinnacle of technological advancement and would certainly have no problem remaining connected to the outside world. After all, I had gotten pretty technologically savvy – I received my email and my internet from a wireless router that was connected to a cable modem from which I received phone calls, faxes and access to the web. On the web I was connected to people through email, Facebook and through this blog. I also have a Blackberry from which I can receive mobile phone calls, my email and Facebook updates throughout my day. Then I arrived at my new home in Stafford, Virginia. It’s a beautiful place with wonderful scenery. I can sit in my office and watch deer come through my yard. I can see, even now, two rabbits chasing each other just outside my window. The squirrels are darting back and forth enjoying all that God’s great planet has to offer. But apparently, no matter how picturesque my little piece of Stafford County, Virginia is, there are many who do not come here. Comcast does not come here. Verizon will come but they will only bring their old vehicles. No Fios. No DSL. Just good old land line dial up if you want it. Did I also mention that if I want to connect with someone through mobile means, ie a CELL PHONE – I have to stand on one foot with my elbow cocked at an unnatural angle and hold it there and only then if I leave the house and stand on the front porch. After a week and a half I feel DISCONNECTED. Yesterday at church someone asked if ‘everything was ok.’ They told me that I seemed “down”. And the truth was I felt “down” – I felt depressed and then it dawned on my – I felt DISCONNECTED.
Over the last few months I had really been connecting to a lot of folks and after a week and a half I started to really miss those opportunities to touch base, to get involved in the lives of those that I care about. And unfortunately, no matter how many trips to Panera Bread I make – I always feel like somebody is looking at me going, “Just leave and give up that table. Besides you’ve got the plug that I want.”
I think that as humans we have a natural inclination to be connected with other people. We have a need for it and unfortunately when it does not exist, we feel isolated, alone, and depressed. I was praying this morning and I thought how terrible it must be to live life disconnected. I always laugh at people who say they want to get away and leave their cell phone and their email and their internet behind and just not be bothered. It sounds like a great idea, until they actually have to do it and then they are constantly wondering what’s going on back at home. We need to be connected.
Depression is in our world at an all time high. Anti-depressants are the most prescribed medications on the market today. I am afraid that much of this stems from people choosing to lock themselves into their homes, perched in front of their televisions, camped in front of their computers and not connecting effectively to other people. Churches spend millions of dollars, going to thousands of conferences, reading hundreds of books put out by numerous authors and seminar speakers all in an effort to do one thing – connect people to one another. Churches have tried small groups – they’ve tried large groups – they’ve tried picnics – they’ve tried family activities. We try to force people to connect because we know that it will help them. But for the most part a forced connection is like shoving a round peg in a square hole. It very well may fit but it’s not a natural connection and the fit is never as good as it could be. So then – how do we get people to connect?
I don’t have a solution – but I do have a suggestion. We are created in the image of our Creator. Our Creator loves being connected with His Creation. If then, we are like HIM, doesn’t it stand to reason that we too will want to be connected to other members of His Creation. So in my line of thinking – to get truly be connected to others – I must first be connected to God. If we can somehow get ourselves connected to God, we will naturally connect to others that are around us. We will be drawn to others like a moth to a flame. I wonder how many people are mired down, living lives at a level less than God wanted for them, struggling with depression and frustration when at the end of the day, they just need to connect with God and watch God renew their mind and their heart and give them a passion about connecting with others.
Connecting with God is more than just showing up at church and sitting through the preaching. I hate to say it but it’s more than shouting and jumping and leaping in expressions of praise. Connecting with God is what happens in your life when nobody’s watching and nobody’s listening. Is your life truly connected to him? The last few weeks, I’ve felt like I was a Verizon Wireless commercial in reverse. “Can you hear me now?” “No!” “How about now?” “No!” -- “Hold on, I’m running to the front porch!” But then I thought that in the midst of that time of disconnection – how many times has God said – “Rodney, can you hear me now? – I’m trying to connect with you. I’ve got some stuff I want to talk to you about. Are you listening? If you will just stay connected to me, then you’ll be connected to my body – other believers – and then you’ll connect to my mission, my plan for your life.”
I think the mission statement for the church should be – “Connecting people: To Jesus Christ, To Others, and To Their God-given Mission.” What a difference our lives would make if we’d just do it in that order. Get & Stay connected to God – Get & Stay connected to each other – and Get Connected to the thing that God equipped you to do and use to touch the lives of those around you. Connection is so important and you don’t realize it until you don’t have it . . . so take it from me – STAY CONNECTED!!!
Until next time – or at least the next time I can get connected J --- RP
