Last week, I told you story of my old neighbour who helped build a deck. He nicely represented the transition from strangers to neighbours to acquaintances to partners. Today we’ll go one step further. We’ll talk about becoming friends with those we work with, those we help, and those we live around.
When I was a volunteer paramedic, I remember one partner in particular. We did several shifts together, and on calls he was always nervous, and second-guessing himself, which could be challenging to work with. One day, he invited me to supper. I met his family, saw his home and farm, and in the process learned about him and his values. The next shift we had together was different. I found we could communicate better, and I could anticipate his moves. Debriefing the call afterwards was easier. I knew this quirks, where they came from, and could work from a place of partnership and friendship rather than tolerance.
This has wider application than the workplace, but some good examples of how important this is follow from a few studies:
50 percent of employees with a best friend at work reported that they feel a strong connection with their company, compared to just 10 percent of employees without a best friend at work. (A 2012 Gallup report which found that)
People planning to stick with their current job cited “good relationship with co-workers” as the major reason (67%) – above “job satisfaction” (63%), “flexible working arrangements” (57%) and even salary (which ranked seventh at 46%). A 2013 survey of 2,223 business people across Australia
In the same way, being a follower of Jesus isn’t just about doing transactions, like dealing with other followers of Jesus because you have to, or caring for others in need simply because it looks good.
We’re actually meant to become friends with those we care for, and those we care with. Not every single one to the same degree maybe, but we are actually meant to have a relationship with those we encounter in this life, and not simply use people or tolerate others.
We’ll focus this week on those we care for, those we’ve been talking about all along, and becoming friends.
Question: When have you unexpectedly “hit it off” with someone at work?
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Yesterday we studied Peter’s speech after healing a man. At the end, he said people shouldn’t look to him, or to the healed man, for answers. Where should they have looked?
He wanted them to look at Jesus. That’s where the man, and the crowd will find healing, power, and hope. Us, too! We’ll find the one we’ve been waiting for, even though humans killed him, he rose again and undid that and every other wrong. Yes, he was speaking to local Jews at the time he made these accusations, but by its presence in scripture, and all our participation in sin, he was also speaking to every human being on earth.
With an opportunity to speak to thousands, Peter made a direct accusation. This may make us uncomfortable, and it probably made his first hearers even more so. But thankfully he doesn’t stop there, but gives them some comfort, that this was all possible due to their ignorance. As Jesus died, he said, “Forgive them, they know not what they do” and Peter reminds them of that.
They didn’t know that Jesus whom they killed was actually their Messiah, but he was. Peter lets them know this is the one they’d been waiting for, who would bring together all the best of their history in one Messiah. He says Jesus was the:
Suffering servant
Moses-like Prophet
Davidic king
Seed of Abraham
The people in Jerusalem at that time put him to death, but we all made it necessary. Through our own sin or rebellion against God, our sin, we’ve all had our part in Jesus’ death.
But that also means we can all share in his resurrection.
His resurrection led to the forgiveness of sins for all people, freely offered. If we call on his name, where true power is to be found, we’ll find our ultimate healing just like that man.
His takeaway message? Repent and turn to God. The physical healing this crippled man experienced is just like the spiritual healing you can experience.
He describes three blessings:
Sins will be wiped or blotted out.
Times of refreshing, we can see it in this leaping man who previously couldn’t walk.
The promised Christ, Jesus will be back to bring his kingdom fully to earth as it is in heaven.
Challenge: Find one way today to point to Jesus, instead of yourself. i.e. Don’t take the credit for something important today, but tell someone you thank God for it instead.
