Six Degrees

​March 7, 2017
 
                                                     Six Degrees
 
There is a sociological theory called Six degrees of separation.”  [maybe you’ve seen the movie with Will Smith or played the parlor game – Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon].
 
This is the theory that everyone and everything is six or fewer steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world.  A chain of “a friend of a friend” statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six steps.
 
In the 1960’s psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted an experiment to prove this “small world” theory that any two people in the United States are separated by only six acquaintances.  Milgram selected the names of 160 people living in Omaha, Nebraska, and sent them a chain letter in the mail.  In the letter was the name of a stockbroker in Boston, Massachusetts.  Each person who received the letter was instructed to add his or her name to the chain letter and send it to an acquaintance that he or she thought would get the packet closer to the stockbroker in Boston.  They could send it to somebody they knew in Boston, or another stockbroker, or perhaps someone with the same last name as the intended recipient.  When the chain letter finally got into the stockbroker’s hands, Milgram calculated how many steps it took to get there.  On average, it took six relationships or less. 
 
That number very well may have gone down in the last half century because of Facebook and Twitter alone.  We are socially connected unlike any generation before us.  Our world is getting smaller all the time.
 
But here is an even mere amazing principle.  We might call it “one degree” of separation.  You don’t need a computer or the Internet to access it.  It’s called prayer and this is how it works.
 
God knows everyone.  He not only knows where they are and what they are doing at any given moment, He knows everything about them.  He knows their thoughts, their dreams, and their aspirations, He knows their joys, their sorrows and their pain.  He even knows, according to Scripture, the number of hairs on their head – pre and post shower. (see Matthew 10:30).
 
So think of it!  If I know God, then I’m only one step removed from President Trump or anyone else on planet earth.  Through the power of prayer, I can influence a king or encourage a missionary half-way around the world.  I may not know where a prodigal son or daughter might be, but God does.  I may not be able to protect a soldier serving in Iraq, but God can.
 
In the business world we’re told that everything depends on connections.  We have the ultimate connection through prayer.  Let’s determine to use our connection for good.  Why not spend some time right now interceding for someone in need?  As the book of James tells us “the prayer of a righteous
person is powerful and effective”. (John 5:16).
                                                                                               
Have a great week!
Pastor Barry
 
If you would like to comment or if you have questions for Pastor Barry you may direct those to bglawson75@gmail.com.   We would love to hear from you.