This weekend Pastor Jon talked about repentance and the importance of having "rumble strip" relationships in our lives.
Rumble strips are those grooves on the edge of the highway which signal to us when we are heading off the road. The make a loud noise when our tire hits them and also cause the car to shake.
One point which really caught my attention was Pastor Jon's statement about the fact that rumble strips save you from hitting the guard rail. Guard rails are also safety devices (they often keep you from tumbling off cliffs!), but if your car hits one of those, there is going to be major damage. A rumble strip causes no damage, but saves you from getting into a situation where damage will happen.
How do rumble strip relationships work? These are people in your life who know you well enough to see the signs of you "drifting" off the road. They are also people who will make noise in your life and urge you to make a course correction.
I have several sets of rumble strip relationships in my life, but one of my favorites is my small group. These girls and I have travelled a journey together. We've been in various configurations of small groups for over four years. There has been tons of laughter, tears, helping one another through fears and tough places. As we have gotten to know one another and risked being real, we've come to a place where we can call one another to high standards of accountability. It's a good and safe place!
Developing rumble strip relationships in your life isn't easy. It takes effort and intentionality. Yet don't dispair. The best thing to do is to begin today. Seek out a person or two and begin to build relationship. Given this week's message, start with a conversation about "rumble strips" (use these questions to help you!) Remember that deep relationships take time. To have good friends, you need to be a good friend. Invite them for dinner every once in a while. Allow the relationships to grow naturally.
Over time, you will find that these relationships will help you to press in and keep going on your journey of faith.
