mutual connections

Today, two of my very closest girlfriends met each other for the first time at a little coffee shop in my hometown. They sipped hot chocolate and hot green tea with mint, and across the table and through the steam rising out of those mugs, shared a little about themselves, a little about the paths they’ve traveled over the years, and a little about new lessons pressing on their hearts.

And I wasn’t there. (In the spirit of full disclosure, the hot chocolate and hot green tea with mint are technically educated guesses.)

When my alarm sounded this morning, I checked the clock and sighed, wishing I was there to facilitate their introduction. They didn’t know each other, but I have spoken of each friend to the other, as people do about the folks who are important to them, whom they love. Although it was crazy, knowing that two of my favorite people in the world were hanging out together without me, I knew they’d connect. At the very least, they have one mutual friend.

And, as I’d imagined, they had a delightful time, chatting, sharing, and connecting.

I’d like to think they connected because they both know me, but the reality is, they connected because they both know Christ. There’s something about that divine mutual Friend that trumps our earthly connections, hands down.

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Paul is very clear that when we as believers accepted Christ – in his words, “were baptized by one Spirit” – we were placed into one body, and we all share the same Spirit. That means that we have the same heavenly Father. As siblings in His adopted family, we share a divine connection to Christ Jesus. That fact alone has some serious ramifications, and that’s another blog post for another day. But people, let that soak in! We are divinely connected – we are heirs – to Jesus Christ!

Later on in the New Testament, Paul’s letter to the Galatians takes this connection one step further. He writes, “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave for free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:27-28). Regardless of our family backgrounds, our salaries, our education levels, or our races, not only are we joined to Christ, but we’re joined to each other.

Having lived in four states over the last fifteen years or so, I’ve often wondered what the day would be like, and when the opportunity would come, where all of my pockets of friends would meet, and mix and mingle. (They’ll all get along, too, because I’m only friends with cool people.)

I think God looks forward to that day too, when all of His children will finally meet Him face to face, and will meet each other, too. Just think of all of us, from all across the world, spanning past, present, and future, meeting together at long last.

That’ll be a glorious day, won’t it? I can’t wait.