Paper Clips, Staples & Books
It is easy in the mainstream culture of life to approach friendships, marriage, commitments, and family as a paper clip.
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"Let no one split apart what God has joined together.” Mark 10: 9 NLT
It is easy in the mainstream culture of life to approach friendships, marriage, commitments, and family as a paper clip. Relationships and commitments have evolved to merely be based on convenience and mutual benefit. It’s as if we are a page; choosing to be connected to one another simply by the humble paperclip. Easy to attach, easy to slip together, and even easier to remove. There’s no real commitment involved, and no real permanence intended. We slip in and out of obligations and relationships with minimal fuss, because the mainstream expectations of the day stipulate there is no real intention of paperclip pages staying together anyway.
In this paperclip world, there are other stronger relationships which have developed, and their commitment level could be likened to the staple. With more durability, the staple provides extra security and permanence for each page. Business relationships, partnerships, and other contracts are often viewed this way. It is harder to slip in and slip out of the commitment intended with the staple. There is an aspect of commitment, but there remains the possibility of the pages ripping apart with the wear and tear of life, and if one party wants to find a loop hole they can usually find it and separate the two pages again.
Then there are the book people of life. They courageously bring their full story to the relationship; all their chapters of past, present and future, to form a book with the other person. This level of intimacy, permanence, vulnerability, story-telling and courage of each party coming together is more than what can fit on one page with a paperclip. It is more than even a few pages of life experiences coming together with the commitment of a staple. It is a full story, a page turner, with chapters of highs and lows, mystery, joy, disappointment, adventure, passion, and faith.
Are you a one-page type person where your level of intimacy can fit on a page? Or do you open up and let people see a few pages of your life, living as a staple with deeper connection and commitment? Do you have any relationships that go deeper than staple commitment, and are at book status?
Take a look today at the relationships in your life. Are there any book relationships in your life? Two stories woven together chapter after chapter with all its page turning drama and beauty? Find these key people and start cultivating intentionality, courage and vulnerability in the relationships. Start swapping paper clips for staples, and staples for books. You’ll be amazed at the stories you’ll live together!
A SELAH MOMENT
Take a look today at the relationships in your life. Find the important key people in your world, and start intentionally swapping paper clip relationships for staples, and staple relationships for books.