Examen Week 5 – Friends

I have friends who aren’t yet Christians and can spot people of peace.

We are not called to keep ourselves to ourselves or to stay within our own little bubbles. Just like his followers in the New Testament, Jesus sends us out into our everyday lives.

It can be very easy to either stick with groups who think or act just like us, or to adapt our ways of speaking and thinking to match the people we spend life with. Jesus sends us out with a greeting of peace: we can make friends with people around us, and we have something distinctive to offer – our relationship with Him!

As we get to know a wider range of people we find that our own experience and understanding grows. We’ll be better able to practice curiosity and empathy, we’ll be less at risk of isolating ourselves and can learn how others make sense of and understand the world.

We’ll also start to spot people of peace – those people in whom God is already at work, who God is drawing to Godself. These people get to take a step closer to Jesus because they happen to know you!

Whatever house you enter, begin by saying, ‘Peace to this house.’ Luke 10: 5

Lord I give my relationships to you.
Show me how to build friendships with people different to me,
train me to use empathy and curiosity to build links
so that I might learn from others,
and help them come closer to you.
Amen.

Ponder

Where do you get to spend time with people who are different to you?
More specifically where do you get to be with people who don’t share your faith?

How easy do you find it to be yourself in those places?
Do you ever find yourself getting nervous or defensive, or overly judgemental and offensive? How might you become someone who can offer peace?

Think about your friendships, who might God already be working in, drawing them to Godself?
Are there people who might be interested in an invitation to a coffee, to try out a Kairos Community or Gathering, or just to spend a bit more time with you?

Try This

Perhaps you have lots of friends who aren’t yet Christians, spend some time praying for them. Ask God to Awaken them to his love, bless them, Increase their curiosity and draw them want to explore more.

Ask God to show you if there are people in your life who are already curious or interested in faith. Pray for that person each day and ask God to show you how to encourage them as they explore.

Perhaps you don’t have many friends but you do already have a place where you get to meet people who don’t think or act or live as you do? Think of a way you could invest in friendships in that place. That could be deliberately staying there longer, finding the social spots in that area, or trying to get to know one person there better.

Perhaps you find it hard to identify places where you get to mix with people. Ask God to show you how to do that, think about places you do go that you know others will also inhabit. Talk through your thoughts with another Kairos person, or with your Kairos Community.

When you meet with others from Kairos, include some time to name and pray for people you each think might be ‘people of peace.’