Tip of My Iceberg

We’ve lived on our cul-de-sac for a long time, and we’ve had the pleasure of getting to know our neighbors. We’ve had very little turnover in residents, so we’ve gotten to know each other’s lives on a very friendly basis.

We’ve done a few odds and ends together over the years, but we’ve all been busy with work, differing hours, and other responsibilities.

We got a new neighbor this past year who was the one who got the ball rolling for our group to do a potluck dinner/Halloween candy hand out station.

Why had the rest of us not thought of this before?

Our new friend, Gigi, is a tremendous cook. She went to town creating dishes that had us salivating like hungry animals. The food and the conversation not only helped us to get to know Gigi and her family better; it gave us each an opportunity to catch up with each other. When life is busy, we too often ignore the value of who and what is in front of us.

We sat around, eating and talking, until the trick-or-treaters began to come.

We represented the five houses on our cul-de-sac, so we had five hefty bowls of candy to be distributed. The kids coming through–and there were many–must have thought it was sugar heaven as they went bowl-to-bowl around the circle.

What made it much more enjoyable was the number of parents who stopped to chat, to get to know all of us a little better, and gave us each a chance to expand our horizons past our block.

Genuine friendliness with no expectations is a sweet gift we can give to anyone. It requires being present–no screens anywhere close, looking someone in the eye, and asking questions that indicate an interest in who they are. The benefit is altruistic behavior can lead to deep relationships that last.

The story of David and Jonathan in the Bible is a wonderful picture of what a committed relationship can look like. Soon after David had defeated Goliath, the giant Philistine nearly ten feet tall, King Saul was curious about this teenager who’d accomplished what none of his soldiers could do. Saul spoke with him about his family, and while he did, Saul’s son, Jonathan, listened in.

“By the time David had finished reporting to Saul, Jonathan was deeply impressed with David–an immediate bond was forged between them. He became totally committed to David. From that point on he would be David’s number-one advocate and friend.” 1 Samuel 18:1

It was a very unlikely friendship, a shepherd boy and the son of a king. But they were there for each other, supporting one another when times got tough.

Proverbs 27:9 says, “A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” David and Jonathan discovered this when King Saul became jealous of David and tried to kill him. They discovered what Proverbs 27:17 declares: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” They helped each other, in good times and hard.

We need one another, to encourage and build each other up, to provide accountability, and to be that safe place we each need to feel totally free to be ourselves. God made us for such community.

Our cul-de-sac clan is heading down that road. I genuinely enjoy those people, and I know they’d have my back if I needed them to do so.

In a world where people are too often judged by a cover that is typically misunderstood or maligned, it’s nice to have those who see us for who we are.

Who do you have that you feel safe enough with to be fully you?