One of my favorite quotes is from a movie I have never seen, but someone else quoted to me (and then told me the movie was terrible and I shouldn’t waste my time – so correct me if I misquote it!). The quote is from the movie 10,000BC and occurs toward the end (so I’m told) between two men discussing greatness. As one man mentions the greatness of the other, the great man responds something like this, “everyone draws a circle around those that they care about, those that they defend and protect. Great men just draw their circles a little bit bigger.”
Last week I was in a short conversation with a friend of mine in which he said, referring to what Michelle and I are doing at The Bluffs, “I’m so glad you guys are doing what you’re doing, because we can’t.” Now that friend of mine, if you’re reading this, please don’t be offended! This is no critique of you, because I actually believe you do more than you recognize!
Now, I actually think that what my friend said is thought by many – and if not thought, it has subconsciously permeated lifestyle. Are Michelle and I somehow so amazing that we are able to move into a community and open our doors and our hearts to the people of our community to love and care, to share stories and life? Is this amazing? Absolutely not. But it is the thought that what we are doing is so great that causes the second thought that those who are not like us cannot do what we do. Michelle and I will be the first to say we do nothing spectacular, nothing extraordinary, nothing even special. But what we have done, is choose to draw our circle a little bigger.
It is a fairly simple thing to settle oneself with caring for, loving, protecting, and providing for ones immediate family. That indeed is a noble task, and often a daunting one for many. And it is a simple thing to stop right there, to observe the incredible responsibility that it is to care for your family and determine that is all you are capable of, or even called to.
Let me ask a question: what would our world look like if my circle included you, and your circle included me? What if both of our circles included the single mom that lives down the road from you, or the family with two kids with severe disabilities that live around the corner, or the family that has both of their elderly, aging grandparents living with them? What would happen if I decided that it was not just a nice idea, but it was indeed my responsibility to know and care for those that live around me (not just go to church with me)?
The pressure with the conept of a “big cirlce” (see quote at the top), is that it feels as if the entire weight of the circle falls on your shoulders, and if you can’t take care of your family, how can you add more to the table? Exactly. You can’t. That’s the problem. Part of drawing our circles a little bigger requires that we allow ourselves to be included in other’s circles. That’s tough, isn’t it? Especially as providers, it become difficult (subconsciously embarrassing perhaps) to recognize that you can’t do it all and invite those around you to care about you.
Yet the most beautiful thing of all is that when I am in your cirlce, and you in mine, the burden for all become light because no one is trying to carry anything by themselves.
So when people say, “I can’t do what you’re doing” I think, are you ridiculous?! Not only can you, you would find life so much easier if you did! As we have opened up our doors to those around us, they have begun to open up their doors to us!
What is it that we have done? We have chosen to intentionally expand our circle to include an entire neighborhood. That’s all. And we have chosen to not put the weight of it on ourselves, but to enter into community with those around us so that we can carry one anothers’ burdens, and no one is left struggling along. I think the Bible says something about this in a couple places (wink wink). My hope is that I have not offended you. My hope is that perhaps I have encouraged you who are already living in expanded circles. My hope is that perhaps I have helped some of you think beyond the current involvement of life (and I make no judgements on your current places of life).
If we are called to be a light, then that light must shine (and not be hidden under a basket, or within the walls of our houses or apartments – Mt.5). We must share that light. That light is our lives. We must share life to share light. And sharing life is something that we can all do.