Digging Deeper: Circle Up
Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Daniel 2: 17-18 (NIV)
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)
CIRCLE UP
I absolutely love sitting around a table, sharing food, laughing at stories, and screaming at college football games. I am hardwired to be in community with people. I think that’s why I love teaching. I love watching middle school students learn how to interact with each other. These days, it’s like they’ve created their own language, and I’m an outsider begging for a translation. There’s something different about those middle school years—when you’re desperate to fit in, desperate to find a group of people who accept you. I think it’s when we truly start to realize we need people.
You know, we weren’t meant to tackle life alone! Our hearts desperately long to be in community with others. Who is in your circle matters more than who wins on Saturday. The people you surround yourself with pour into you, even when you don’t realize it.
In a world that often promotes superficial connections, God wants us to have real relationships. A true friend encourages us to grow and challenges us to be our best selves. In turn, they reflect God’s love in our lives.
Who’s in your circle? What role do you play in the circle?
I pray that as you walk through this day, you surround yourself with people who build you up. Appreciate the friends in your circle, and be the one who is a source of encouragement and strength for others. Reflect God’s love in all that you do.
Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea. She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders. She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan. She stays active in the Dallas area as a photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.