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Film Snapshot: The circles we draw


A good man draws a circle around himself and cares for those within--his woman, his children. Other men draw a larger circle and bring within their brothers and sisters. But some men have a great destiny. They must draw around themselves a circle that includes many, many more. Your father was one of those men. You must decide for yourself whether you are as well.

--Tic ‘Tic to D'Leh in 10,000 B.C.

While this quote is in the context of helping a young man decide how much he's willing to take on in terms of leadership, this quote resonated with me because it challenges us to consider the circles we draw ourselves. All too often, we draw circles way too small. Jesus' circles broke the social and religious customs of his day, including folks who most considered outside acceptable boundaries--from women and Samaritians to lepers and the sick to despised (often with good reason) tax collectors and the riff-raff. Ultimately, his circles are so great that it includes us all.

And that should cause us to ask what circles we've drawn--in our neighborhoods, work, churches, and as-we-go. As followers of Jesus, perhaps we must expect our circles to resemble his, to include and even invite those beyond our brothers and sisters, to include the many, many more--who perhaps, at the very least, should be in our minds as we make larger economic, political and church-related decisions. Of course, we'll encounter physically a smaller number, but I think our heart must be open to the many, many more--caring for (or paying attention to) those we encounter as we go. Ultimately, perhaps the circles we draw should be with fluid boundaries, as we encounter some for only a moment while others we have the opportunity to walk with longer.

Just thinking.


(Image: Warner Bros)