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Shifting Proximity to others

Updated: Jul 19, 2022


Can I tell you what breaks my heart?


As a community and society at large, many of us have

become so detached from our spirituality and humanity

that we can no longer sit in proximity to people with

whom we disagree, dislike, or are different from us. The

the worst part is many of us are so easily offended by “the

others” that we refuse to compassionately listen to

different points of view and, at worst, lash out when our

perspectives are challenged.


Have you ever considered if you shifted your proximity

and sat with others- truly took the time to actively listen

and have an authentic conversation with someone who

challenges your perspective- you may be able to see

beyond your own biases?


Seriously, ask yourself this question: Am I willing to sit in

proximity with “those people”, “the others” who challenge

the very foundation I have built my life upon?  And, if the

answer is no, ask yourself what you can do about it.  Or,

better yet, pray and God will reveal the answer… or even

shift your perspective.  


We- every single one of us- come from different walks of

life, therefore our perspectives of the world and even the

Gospel will inevitably vary.  Furthermore, the best Gospel

is not always taught from a pulpit and is instead lived out

loud. To give an example, my family and I have spent our

entire lives in a community where we were undeniably

raised with different beliefs and customs than our

neighbor.   Despite our obvious differences in

perspectives, one day a neighbor changed their

proximity to us and chose to get closer to our ethnically

diverse family.  We were different from them, yet they

extended love and built a relationship with us.  Through

these loving actions- our neighbor choosing to challenge

themselves and challenge us-  we found a loving church,

which led us to Jesus.


This is a community that is based on the foundation of

Jesus Christ, Our Savior.  But do we agree on absolutely

everything?  Of course not,  nor do we need to.  In

church communities, there is a strong misconception that

we need to be 100% ideologically aligned in all of our

beliefs.  This is simply impossible and unrealistic.  Yes, I

understand hanging out with like-minded people,

guarding our hearts, and having discernment with those

to whom we connect.  I am for all of these things,

however, I have also discovered within myself these

things stem from an inherent need for comfort.  God

hasn’t called me to be comfortable.  He has called me to

be the hands, and feet and be an ambassador for Jesus

here on Earth.  Jesus has given me and YOU the great

commission, which requires YOU and ME to GO out into

the world, challenging ourselves and others. (Mark

16:15-18)  


Can I, or better yet God, challenge you to Sit In Proximity

(SIP) to the broken-hearted; to those who’ve been

betrayed; to lost souls; to those ethnically different from

you; and to those who have different perspectives,

beliefs, and customs than you?  Are you willing to be

comfortable with being uncomfortable?  

Let’s give it a try and, through the grace of God, SIP to

each other.  You may be blessed in the process or, better

yet, a blessing to someone else.




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