We Sit Close (A word from The Office)

#129

Friend,

There is this scene in The Office, where one of the employees, Phyliss, is talking about her good relationship with the rest of her co-workers, and so she says about an employee whom she shares a desk clump with, “Stanley, and I are close, too.”

And Stanley deadpans, “We sit close.”

Which one of your relationships did I just describe?

There is a big difference between being near and being adjacent. Proximity is one of the key ingredients for relationships, but proximity isn’t enough. You need to add intentionality, vulnerability, and delight to equal intimacy.

Oh yeah, and you both need to be moving to each other for it to work. For you math-inclined, then the formula looks something like this:

(Proximity + Intentionality + Vulnerability + Delight)² = Intimacy

This is true not only in relationships with your family and friends, but also with God. Maybe you are sitting close to God (you go to church, you do a 5-minute devotional, give some money), but you aren’t leaning into that relationship. You are in proximity, but you aren’t experiencing intimacy.

Intimacy is the great antidote to weariness. Jesus invites you today, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy-burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. We are designed to go through challenges and difficulties together, and my hope for you today is that you lean into your relationship with others, and lean into your relationship with Jesus.

And that you are truly close.

Love,

Aaron