Connection, commission, company, community, communication, committee, communism, coeducation, compound, coffee, Coca-Cola!?  Think about the prefix “co” for a minute, it means something is mutual, jointly shared. Isn’t that exactly what connection is?

I often have a fear that if i’m not quite up to par with where I think I “should be”, but if I’m truly living in the “co” I will recognize that synergy is a powerful way to accomplish more than I can on my own.  The truth is, none of us are who we think we “should be” and that’s okay.  Yet, unless someone actually knows where to find me, how can we work together?!   That’s where theme of my last couple weeks comes in: I feel the most connected with people when vulnerability is involved.

Vulnerability is like giving someone a map of our heart, and it’s a vital and dangerous thing.  One of the most meaningful lessons I have from my business degree is “the risk reward ratio” It’s very simple: The higher the risk the greater the reward.  In order to gain the most from relationships (and life in general), I must be a high risk person, (with safe people) and I will glean the deepest rewards in these relationships.  It’s exhausting and exhilarating, but aren’t all good things?

As someone who hopes to go on the mission field I asked how can I flesh that out in the sense of commission?  I so I looked up the origin of the word here.  

“authority entrusted to someone,” from Latin commissionem (nominative commissio) “delegation of business,” noun of action from past participle stem of committere(see commit). Meaning “body of persons charged with authority” is from late 15c.   

Why I share this is because of one word: COMMIT.  This word is perhaps the ultimate “co” word, and its a word that I wholeheartedly believe the majority of my generation has lost the meaning of.  I am a part of the “maybe generation”.  So afraid to say yes because something better might come up.  Often, I don’t live in the community I have right now, because I look ahead to “something greater”.  I can be an example to countless others who wear a mask or hold a shield to hide fears and flaws, in the maybe generation, all we want is something real, and when we are authentic, we speak with genuine authority.  I can speak for only myself when I say “I pay attention to people who are real”.

I believe one way to overcome this fear of commitment is to continually connect in vulnerable ways, so take a risk.  Start a conversation you’ve been holding inside.  It’s worth it.  (I’ll listen)

 

The truth is the community I have now is where I should commit to connect and live in commission.