Last night in my CORE group (a church small group) we were discussing spheres of influence--basically that group of people that is around you, who you interact with on a regular basis. With the social media frenzy that has stormed the globe, we now have the ability to keep in contact with more people than ever before. High school classmates who you would never talk to post their major life events on Facebook. But even though you may have more knowledge about long lost friends and relatives than ever before, that doesn't necessarily mean that you are a part of their life, or are obligated to minister to them.
John, one of our group members, brought up how your sphere of influence changes when events in your life change: you switch jobs, you move states etc. I guess I've known this subconsciously, but it's very easy for me to try and hold onto my past "spheres of influence." It's easy to think, "I used to be very involved in that person's life...I am still responsible for them..." and I don't think that is always the case.
The truth is that in this day and age more people have changing "spheres of influence" than ever before. Think of the days when a telephone was the primary form of communication. You grew up in a community, maybe went off to college in another community, then got a job in a third community and started your adult life. Look at us today: I haven't studied this, but I don't think it's a stretch to say that people are more likely to move today than in the past. We move for better job opportunities, lower cost of living, family etc. And travel has become more accessible and almost socially necessary. Young people are encouraged to study abroad, do internships, mission trips, travel the world. No wonder we are all a little socially confused sometimes. For when you have relationships with people in three countries and six states, how do you maintain them?
When people here my story, they usually tell me I'm privileged to live such a unique life. But my "unique life" seems to be coming more of a norm these days. And I don't know that it is a privilege. I don't know that more friendships in more places is a benefit when few of them have the chance to develop into consistent relationships. Isn't quality better than quantity? I could go on traveling and meeting people the rest of my life...but how many of them will I impact? And to how many of them will I be just a memory?
Thoughts?
