Jasper Fu drives two hours a day for Uber, an app-based taxi service. He doesn’t do it for the money, since he already has a fulltime job. He says he does it because it’s a good way to “talk to people.” Chinese culture encourages quiet restraint, so it can seem inappropriate to walk up to a stranger and start a conversation. It’s different when you’re picking them up in your car. Jasper says, “Under no other circumstance can I find a stranger to talk with me for like 10 to 20 minutes.”
Jasper isn’t alone in his desire to connect with others. A lot of us long to matter to someone, and we receive little help from our culture. If an evil villain wanted to make sure we have as little human contact as possible, this is the society he would have created. We’re separated by houses with backyards but no front porches. We’re separated by cars, in which we travel alone. We buy groceries, pump gas, and withdraw money from our bank—all without making eye contact with others. We’re separated by technology. In our free time we scroll and text alone.
In our isolation we might feel like David crying out from his cave, “No one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me” (Psalm 142:4). But we won’t go down without a fight, for we know it’s not good for us “to be alone” (Genesis 2:18).
Since our triune God created us for relationship, may we follow Jasper’s lead and find ways to foster friendship. We can text our friends to meet up face-to-face. We can bring cookies next door to share with neighbors. And we can view unexpected visits not as interruptions, but opportunities to reflect the relational nature of our loving God who never leaves us nor forsakes us.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Kings 21:1-29
More:
Read Matthew 28:20 and see what it says about Jesus’ presence in our lives.
Next:
Why is it important for us to break free of isolation and spend time with others? How do the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit model a loving relationship?
Gary Shultz on April 21, 2017 at 4:18 am
Hi Mike: I would think with your profession you see most of what you speak of on a daily basis. I agree we were not designed for where many have found themselves. The human experience is not complete without contact and relationships with others. Of course the main relationship would be with our God and the strength and desire to share with others the love package we have received from. As you seem to indicate isolation is an unhealthy life style, now we split it with an electronic relationship. To grab a thread of reality and yet have no pleasure or pressure of personal interaction. In your question you also use the model of the trinity to show communication, there is no deeper illustration of connective love and communication that we probably can’t completely understand. My heart sags to see all of the people as you describe who are afraid to interact with others, and they shrivel mostly alone. Thanks Mike
don777 on April 21, 2017 at 5:02 am
Thank You for all of your prayers for my grandson yesterday. May God Bless All of You and this ministry +>i 🙂
Tom Felten on April 21, 2017 at 9:21 am
You’re so welcome, Don. May God heal Jacob’s physical heart and spiritual heart!
sandy229 on April 21, 2017 at 9:46 am
You’re welcome, I am glad to hear he is doing better.
conmeo on April 21, 2017 at 9:01 am
Good morning fellow ODJs. Thanks Mike for an insightful view and story of connectedness modeled in our Triune God! As always Gary your input is spot on! Sagging hearts over those who reject the model of our God who calls and stands for spiritual reconciliation revealed through the Resurrection side of the Cross. We pray for those who isolate and turn away for appearances or whatever reasons. We give thanks for those times of fellowship with those who are reluctant. Our prayer is with you don777. Peace be with you all!
sandy229 on April 21, 2017 at 10:14 am
It does seem like nowadays, people are so rushed and to busy to stop to smell the roses so to speak. When you see someone on the street, often times he looks the other way and tries so hard not to make eye contact because then he may end up having to talk to you. When people walk down our street, they always stop at our house because we have such a beautiful yard, they tell us, and it becomes a conversation piece. They are always telling us how beautiful our yard is. Last year, I put a sign in front of our house that said, “free tomato plants”. People wanted to pay us for the tomato plants, but we had such an abundance we just wanted to give them away. Now when someone drives by our house, they always wave to us like they know us, and half the time, we have no idea who they are, but we gladly wave back. It’s nice to be able to share with others in need. Sometimes all they need is to just talk with someone and tell them what they are going through because they just need someone to listen. Our yard has become quite a conversation piece, and we are happy to be able to talk with others and hear their needs.
Mike Wittmer on April 21, 2017 at 4:37 pm
This is a good story to learn from, Sandy. We don’t need to make grand gestures. Just small acts of kindness is enough to break the ice and create a bridge. Many people are desperate for human interaction, and they’ll grab any excuse if they realize you’re a safe person. Your house and yard sound inviting.
Monica Brands on April 21, 2017 at 2:17 pm
Thanks for this, Mike. It’s really remarkable what you point out in the opening paragraphs – how successfully our culture has been in creating isolation and loneliness. And sadly, those individualistic / isolationist tendencies have really affected the church as well. It’s been really interesting for me, especially after moving to Grand Rapids, having conversations with people about their journeys towards a new church home as I looked for my own. What I keep hearing, and is true of my own experience, is that what people are looking for in a church isn’t so much just good preaching or doctrine (though we definitely want that); they’re looking for a home, a community where they belong and are wanted. For many people who keep drifting from church to church, it isn’t always so much the “church-shopping” mentality so much as finding in many churches it’s very difficult to find community especially as an outsider. May we take your words to heart, and especially, in our Christian communities, model the love of God drawing others into a new family.
Mike Wittmer on April 21, 2017 at 4:40 pm
Amen. I’ve heard from some who have moved to our region and found it difficult to find what you are describing. We can go a long time without ever being invited into another person’s home. This is almost inexcusable for the church. May God give us the courage to step into this need.