Skipping Stone Ripples & Circles of Honor

Have you ever tried to skip stones across a peaceful pond or calm lake?  The skip point sends out ever widening concentric circle ripples and if the 'skip' is close enough, those circles eventually intersect each other.  It's quite fun to try to do this.  One of my brothers invariably was able to do this better than I.  

These were the thoughts I had after my morning Bible devotions today.  I'm working on a reading plan called "When Faith Catches Fire" written by Samuel Rodriguez and Dr. Robert Crosby.  Today's text was taken from John 17:21-22.  The authors ask if anyone has ever thought to answer Jesus' prayer where He asks His Father God that may all His disciples...

 "be one, just as You, Father, are in me, and I in You, that they also be in us,"

Verse 21 finishes...

"so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

Jesus further asks His Father...

"May they be one even as we are one...." (verse 22)

Rodriguez and Crosby say that we all expect Jesus to answer our prayers we ask of Him, but do we ever consider answering His, as seen in these verses?

New concept to me.

I like how they explained how they thought this could be brought about.  They say to "draw circles of honor" around people.  Not false flattery but sincere words of praise or encouragement, not just to an individual but in the hearing of others.  This builds others up instead of tearing them down.

The opposite can happen when we slander another which usually gets done behind another's back creating ugly situations.  The words usually get back to the one spoken against.  That's where the tearing down comes in.

Yet, when we purpose to praise, and in front of others, a "circle of honor" will materialize.  That person will then be uplifted and enabled to do so for another.  This helps to bring greater unity in our circle of friends and family and no less among the people of God in any given congregation.  This, in turn, brings forth that unity God desires.

So can you visualize all this?  Can you visualize why the skipping stone image?  

As we choose to create "circles of honor" here, and there, you will be "answering" Jesus' prayer.  

Rodriguez and Crosby end with the question,

"Who are some of the people you want to honor this week?"

Let us be doers and not just hearers of God's word, and of godly wisdom spoken by His children.  Skip a few stones along your way today.  Happy skipping and 'circling'.

                                                ~ERC  October 2017~