I used to blog every 3 minutes. Now I only blog when I am inspired or possibly a little *&^%$# off. I'm blogging now because I am a little bit $%^&*^ off.
I just came across a quote on Twitter. I've seen it before. I get *&^^%$ off every time I see it. This quote (usually tweeted on Twitter by MLM/Network Marketing types) makes me want to shake people in the name of Jesus: "You will become the average of the 5 people you hang out with the most!" If you believe this quote then I must be a drunk, homeless, pagan, lesbian crack head.
I hang out with Lesbians. I hug them. I've been to their homes. I go to church with them. I am not a Lesbian.
I hang out with drunk, stinky, urine soaked, homeless men and women. I do smell, especially after working out, but I am not homeless.
I hang out with alcoholics and crack heads. I've even been in a crack house or two. I am a recovering alcoholic (over six months sober) but I'm not a crack head.
I hang out with people who call themselves pagans. I have not made a pot of newt stew. I am not a witch.
"You will become the average of the 5 people you hang out with the most!" Why do I dislike this quote? Because I dislike anything that keeps us from hanging out with people who are not like us. My Twitter/Blogging buddy Paul Steinbrueck shared his thoughts in the comments section of this post:
"If I believe that quote, then I only hang with people I think are better than I am in the hopes it will make me better, and I shun people I think are lower on the food chain because I'm afraid they'll drag me down."
Pick up the Bible and you'll find a story of really cool dude by the name of Jesus. He spent most of his time hanging out with drunks, prostitutes, thieves, liars and traitors. Guess what? He didn't become like them even though he spent time with them. What does the Word of God say?
Hebrews 4: "We have a high priest who was tempted in every point like we are, yet without sin."
1 Peter: He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
I know what you're thinking: "Mike, I'm not Jesus." I'm not either but Jesus shows us by His example that we should be hanging out with ALL people who desperately need to be shown His love instead of our judgment.
I'm overweight, selfish, not a good listener, a recovering alcoholic, not a great husband or father and battle depression. Hang out with me. I'm kind of weird but I'll bet you don't become like me.
I am glutton sometimes but love to cook, a bit of a gossip, drink a little too much every now and then, love love love Jesus, battle with depression, love to garden, love my kids, take meds for depression, believe things can be grey sometimes eventhough the Bible makes things clearer to me, love my bald husband so very much, get a bit righteous sometimes and thinks everyone needs to be saved, not very patient with my family that haven't accepted Christ as their Savior, and love art. Hang out with me and hopefully you'll understand the extent of the Lord's mercy and grace upon us all. Humble me Oh God, humble me.
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, Mike. When I first saw the quote, my first reaction was that it doesn't work logically. If everyone was the average of the 5 people they spend the most time with, then nobody could ever be the best or worst at anything. Second, you can prove it wrong anecdotally. Was Judas Iscariot or Michael Jordan the average of the 5 people they spend the most time with? Obviously not.
ReplyDeleteBut I think your point is a lot more important. If I believe that quote, then I only hang with people I think are better than I am in the hopes it will make me better, and I shun people I think are lower on the food chain because I'm afraid they'll drag me down.
But the people I admire most in this world are the people who care enough about the people who everyone else shuns to hang out with them, help them, and love them. People like you, the inner-city teacher, Mother Theresa, Jesus.
Love this post!
ReplyDeleteNow I'm sorry to be contentious, but I'm going to do just a little bit of that. (You know I often do.)
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree with you that we should hang out with people completely unlike ourselves. I spend time with jail prisoners, some pretty wild looking youth, small & sometimes obnoxious children, little old ladies (and men), and the random people who cross my path every day—some of whom are drunk, homeless, pagan, lesbian crack heads, and all of whom who seem to enjoy my company because I genuinely love them all. I also hope I gain from those people the appreciation of freedom, the vitality of recklessness, the humility of being thought ignorant, the experience discovered in learning I don't know it all, the random gifts every human being possesses as a creation of God—and the opportunity to just possibly share that love I have for all of them.
I also hang out with Jesus as much as possible, by praying and reading the Bible, and I really do hope to become like Him. That part about Him being tempted in every way like us? He also became like us (though not in EVERY way, such as sinful ones) exactly so that we could become like Him.
But Mike, if I can't become a little more like you by hanging out with you, I don't know if I can follow you on Twitter or your blog anymore. I think you have some great things to teach me, even if it's not how to be "overweight, selfish, not a good listener, a recovering alcoholic, not a great [spouse or parent], [a battler of] depression ... kind of weird." (I already do most of those things anyway.) You're good for me, Mike. :D
And so are drunk, homeless, pagan, lesbian crack heads when I see them through the eyes of my Lord.
Rather than being like the five people we're around the most (or whatever), perhaps we should strive toward all being more Christ-like in all ways...
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! You've said a lot of great things that have made me think about a lot our unspoken assumptions about people in general. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog, but even more than that, I love your heart. I want to be you when I grow up. Seriously!
ReplyDeleteI like the way you think!!! We as Christians have become so pompous and arrogant that we've forgotten how to live out the New Testament. You make a great argument regarding how we Christians are just so quick to repeat these cute little "catch phrases" without stopping to think about them from a Biblical perspective. Well said.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot a-hole...I love you man!
ReplyDeleteDang dude, great post!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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