By Brown Eagle –

A Friendship Circle is ongoing. There is no beginning; there is no end. No one is in front and no one is behind. No one is beneath, nor is one above. No one is first, nor is one last. A friendship circle is always ongoing. In a friendship circle, each is standing side by side.

As in one circle, so is this true about the one body of Christ. No one part is any more important than the other parts (1Cor 12:12-26). We are all connected as the blood of Christ unites us. It is all of our differences that makes the Lord’s image complete.

One day this summer our church walked this out. God commands us to love Him and then our neighbors (Mark 12:30-31). As we went outside, we placed a flower in the cross, and then we each started taking our places. We all formed a large circle around our entire church and held hands. It was our way of showing our neighborhood that we are here, that we are united, and that we love them. They are a part of us. They are our community, they are our neighbors, they are our friends. All are united in love.

Native Circle of Friends: The Native Legend says that at the end of the evening, friends would gather around a bonfire and share their hearts and speak of the good qualities of each other. They reflected upon times shared. As the embers faded, their friendship was said to be sealed anew, bringing them closer together. Today before the sun sets, this too may be walked out. Whisper: A simple sentence, a kind word, travels much distance, when its journey begins from one’s heart to another’s.