Living a Life Lacking Real Relationship

I spend at least an hour a day if not more walking. During this time, in a bustling city like Guadalajara, I literally might encounter 100 people. I say Buenos Dias, or Tardes, or Noches dozens of times and I smile as big as I can hoping to convey the thought that I am a friendly, good natured person to all I meet. I dive in and out of markets and stores, exchanging brief pleasentries with shop owners, butchers, restaurant workers, and the like. Rarely do these conversations go beyond the general "How are you doing/Como Estas". Every once in a while they contain a couple of additional sentences of intrigue "Are you from the States", "Do you live here", "What do you do", etc, etc. I actually enjoy these little encounters. Not only do I get to practice my Spanish, but a little part of me thinks that all of the smiling I do must be paying off in that they think me worthy enough for additional questions. I give money to beggers on the street and can say little more then God Bless and I walk away.

The point I am making is that most of my encounters do not even involve the opportunity for real relationship (School Not Counting) because of language barriers. This got me honestly thinking "Even if I could speak fluently, would I really try to develop "real relationships"". Many have told me that Mexico is a superficially friendly culture. I then ask "What country isn't?". Then I think, am I a superficially friendly person? Did I go out of my way to create real relationship in the States when I had a shared language? The answer, sometimes, but not enough.

So often being here I wish I could have real relationship because I desire to share the gospel with those here. Luckily, Joy and I both get to do this regularly with our students, but rarely ever outside those walls.

I guess the personal challenge I felt issued to me as I walked today was to strive for real relationship when the opportunity at hand. Relationship that can allow for real honesty, compassion, and challenge. Relationship that can lead to change in both yourself and the person you have come to know.  A relationship where where we can impact others for Christ.   I think a lot of us fail to grasp this opportunity regularly outside our close circle, I know I do.