Circle Component #1 Series

Circle Check

Pt. 2 - Circle Component 1

I. Introduction

They are present in every generation since it was invented. Whether it was in black and white or in color they are the mainstay of our airwaves. Leave it to Beaver. Andy Griffith. MASH. The Brady Bunch. The Partridge Family. Good Times. Different Strokes. Welcome Back Cotter. Cheers. Saved by the Bell. Fresh Prince. The Nanny. Full House. Family Matters. Frazier. And now Blue Bloods. This is Us. Black-ish. The Last Man Standing. All of these shows have in common that they are sitcoms. However, there is also another shared characteristic among them all. Regardless of race, socio economic or occupation of characters. They are all similar in that these shows we watch revolve around circles. Circles of family members, co-workers, classmates, or friends. We can't escape the fact that our entire world revolves around circles. It invades our entertainment. Our athletics. Our government. Circles surround.

We instinctively seem to know that our circle determines our course. Our friends determine our future. We agree that those close matter most.

So, since we know this it is vital, critical, paramount for us to know how a circle is supposed to function. If we don't, then we either never fully tap into or harness the benefit of a circle or we exit or sabotage the circle available to us because we are unwilling to pay the price of transparency, vulnerability and submit to accountability that is necessary for the circle to be meaningful. The result is we either suffer in isolation while we call it independence, or we hop in and out of circles, groups, or churches looking for fruit that we so desperately desire and even envy. However, we never recognize that this fruit can only be obtained and secured through intentional and long-term investment of time. So, in time of need, distress, pain we blame everyone who doesn't respond for being shallow or uncaring or we silently wonder why our relationships lack the roots necessary to sustain us.

If we know function, we then have appropriate expectations and demands. There are some things we should expect from our circle and if the circle doesn't provide these things, then we must either demand and develop it in the circle or we need to do a circle check to determine if it may be time for a circle change.

So, I informed you that right in plain sight in Scripture there are 59 different "one another" statements giving us circle coaching. Then at closer examination, I discovered that all of these statements can be clustered into 6 components wrapped around one core component.

As we work through this, I want to encourage you to do a circle check. I caution you . . . the tendency is to ask this appropriate question . . . Is my circle doing this for me? However, if we are not careful, then we will fail to ask the equally crucial question . . . Am I doing this for my circle?

Last week, we declared that the core component around which the other 6 components orbit is . . . love.

17 different and distinct occasions out of the 59 statements is the instruction to love another. 28% of the list is a command to love one another.

I also told you that we would dive into this as we talked about the 6 orbiting components but let me tell you again that these other 6 are impossible if we don't first love one another with love that binds and motivates us. Even when we have the deep devoted love that Scripture declares that we need to have this will not be easy. Some of the folks we try to circle up with can't provide the rest of the components because those components originate in and spawn from the core component of love!

So, I figured we might as well start with what I believe may be the toughest orbiting component right off the bat.

The first orbiting component commanded in these circle coaching statements is . . .

Confess/Forgive

On 5 different occasions in this list, we are instructed to handle each other in our most fragile, broken and vulnerable situations. One of the best indications of whether your circle is operating effectively and in love is when you get to this instruction right here. Most relationship can barely handle the success of the other members of the circle much less deal properly with the faults and failures of a fellow circle member. Again, I remind you that 1 Peter 4:8 said that "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins"

So here are the coaching commands . . .

Romans 14:13 “…Stop passing judgment on one another.” So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.