The prerequisite of proximity
(We join millions around the world in giving thanks to God for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war and the return of the hostages. May the Prince of Peace bring lasting peace.)
“Proximity provides an opportunity to love.” That rich and juicy statement is by Alan Fadling in An Unhurried Life: Following Jesus’ Rhythms of Work and Rest. Fadling is reflecting on a Biblical story so popular that lawyers and police officers who’ve never heard of Jesus know at least the title of the story: The Good Samaritan in Luke 10:30-37. Three different people were in proximity to the man bleeding along the side of the road after having been robbed. Proximity gave each of them an opportunity to love. The religious leaders in Jesus’ story missed it; the hated Samaritan aced it. Says Fadling, “I may complain that loving everyone in the world is impossible, but that’s not what Jesus commanded. Our Lord and Savior directs us to care for the person who is actually crossing our path.”
Who needs to be our neighbor?
In John 13:34-35, on the night in which Jesus was betrayed, He taught His twelve, “A new commandment I give you: love one another the way I’ve loved you.” That new bold summary statement gets repeated the same night (recorded a couple chapters later in John 15), and then Jesus deemed it so important - and so challenging - that He went to His knees over it in John 17.
The story of the Good Samaritan points out that proximity provides an opportunity to love. But John 13-17 (and within virtually every book of the New Testament), Jesus doesn’t let us off the hook if we don’t have proximity. In fact, I believe He’s saying, “If you don’t have proximity, if you don’t have a relationship with people different from you in a myriad of ways, that’s a serious problem. So serious, in fact, that I’m praying to the Father while My own life is on the line, that this problem gets addressed and resolved.”
The problem of not enough proximity
In Peace Talks, the Good News of Jesus in a Donkey Elephant War, my son’s chapter describes in detail how technology (and other non-neutral forces) actually tries to block proximity. We all live in an echo chamber, hearing our own opinions reverberating with ever increasing volume, unless we actively seek to break out of that echo chamber. Our culture discourages us from intersecting with differing opinions held by people with different life experiences.
That’s bad for the country! But it’s cataclysmic for the Church! The longer we hang out with our own kind, the easier it is to start making assumptions that “our people” have a corner on the market. And it’s a hop, skip, and a jump before we conclude that everyone who’s different is obviously wrong. When that happens? We’re following Satan, whose name means accuser, more closely than we’re following the Good Shepherd, who unites and breaks down dividing walls of hostility.
Tonight… and beyond
If you’re reading this the day it comes out (Tuesday, Oct. 14), tonight is a diligent and courageous practice in proximity known as WayMaker Dialogues, led by J17 staff member Tasha Campbell. My prayer is that many who are saying regarding Charlie Kirk, “the other side of the aisle is simply mistaken,” will take the risk of developing proximity, eyeball to eyeball. And even more, not for the purpose of recruiting, but for the possibility of rethinking. “I don’t understand… but I’d like to.” Angels rejoice when the saints adopt that level of humility.
Where do we need proximity? So glad you asked! Let me count the ways…
Denominational traditions
Theological perspectives
Generational preferences
Gender distinctions
Geographic silos (from parts of a city to nations of the world)
Domains and sectors of employment
Ethnic and cultural diversity
Biblical justice issues we care about
Gifts and strengths and personalities and…
Have a proximate day! Build relational bridges that tear down walls of ignorance!
Dave Drum, Founder
