The Whole World is Looking for a Connection! Everyone is looking for a partner…someone to run with, talk with, sit with, laugh with, play with… Someone to push them or maybe even carry them a little further than they can go on their own. Someone who is willing to sacrifice their comfort for your best. Someone who will love you even though you’re crippled…physically, emotionally, spiritually, or perhaps relationally crippled…seemingly disqualified…

The All Better Book is a book in which elementary school children try to solve some of the more difficult world problems, like what to do about global warming, or how to get people to stop smoking. Here’s one of the questions, these little minds deal with: “With billions of people in the world, someone should be able to figure out a system where no one is lonely. What do you suggest?”

Kalani (age 8) suggested that someone should find lonely people and ask their name and address. Then ask people who aren’t lonely their name and address. When you have an even amount of each, assign lonely people and not lonely people together in the newspaper.

Max (age 9) had a bit more practical answer. Make food that talks to you when you eat. For instance it would say, “How are you doing?” and “What happened to you today?”

But it was Brian (age 8) who obviously spoke from personal experience when he wrote, “Sing a song. Stomp your feet. Read a book. Sometimes I think no one loves me, so I do one of these.”

With billions of people in the world, someone should be able to figure out a system where no one is lonely. The whole world is lookng for a connection.

In fact we were created for community… As Randy Frazee writes in his book, Making Room for Life… “God designed us with a connection requirement.” Introverted, extroverted, life of the party, solitary hiker on the Appalachian trail… researcher, CEO, married, single…it really doesn’t matter… it’s not a personality thing, it’s not a stage of life-thing, it’s not a role preference… it’s a God-thing. God designed us with a connection requirement. We were created for community.

Sometimes it’s good to be alone. Solitude can clear the mind and cleanse the soul. Sometimes we get all-peopled out. But that doesn’t change the connection requirement.

This weekend at Calvary we are looking at the story of a woman who was disconnected — for the better part of 12 years. Then Jesus came into town and with just a touch… she found a life-giving connection.

So how are your connections? Are you looking for a touch?