Go for a Walk

Jesus told a lot of stories. He spent a lot of time with certain people. He went on long walks from place to place. We are told that he spent a lot of time explaining things but I’m certain that he would have spent a lot of time listening to his disciples, who were also becoming friends.

We live in a sound-bite world. We text short messages, read short stories, watch short videos, have brief conversations. When was the last time you spent hours with someone, just walking and talking, or doing a puzzle together, or going on an outing, or driving a long distance?

It’s in those longer connections with others that true conversation can occur, when you’re not under pressure to start and finish a conversation. You can meander along, take a break from the conversation as needed to talk about something else, or pause to look at a scene and take a breath.

I had the pleasure of spending the day hiking with a friend on Monday, wrestling through theological concepts and life happenings. And our conversation bounces from here to there and we build relationship as we go. It’s life giving.

And that’s what Jesus did. He called people to walk with him and then spent a long time in conversation, shared experiences, and rest. And they grew in intimacy, and strength.

He wants us to join him on that journey too. But he wants us to do that in community, deeply connecting with each other in meaningful ways. As we continue to explore the stories Jesus told in our services, I encourage us all to take time to connect deeply with others who share a common connection with Jesus. It’s life giving.

And I think you’ll also find Jesus, the life-giver, right there with you.

Adam