Relationship Arithmetic

Jalen Rose played NBA basketball at the highest level.

Recently, Rose commented on the difficult circumstances faced by one of basketball’s current young stars.

The details aren’t important. Rose was explaining, as someone who’s been there, that perhaps the situation might be more complex than it appears.

He made a statement I think all of us might consider.

“People,” Rose said, “come into your life for one of four reasons.

“They want to add, they want to subtract, they want to multiply, or they want to divide.”

It’s a pretty good way to think about the impact you and I have on the people around us.

Do we add or subtract? Multiply? Divide?

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I want to be someone who adds or multiplies in relationships, and this got me thinking about my motivation as I encourage people to get involved in the FREEDOM TOUR.

It’s tempting to become just another promoter trying to build just another event. Rose’s thoughts remind me it’s important to keep telling the story, to keep reminding people we’re inviting them into something bigger than just another bike ride.

We’re not selling an event or even doing fundraising.

We’re offering the opportunity to be part of God’s big story of justice.

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