Thursday, January 7, 2010

Refridgerator Rights

The authors ask an odd question: how many people in your life have "refrigerator rights" in your home? How many people are so comfortable in your home (other than your family) that they can open your refrigerator door and get their own drink or snack ... without asking?

My first response was "no one." But then I thought about it. My father, brother and his family help themselves to our refrigerator. The people that were in the small group that we used to lead at our house probably feel completely comfortable going in our fridge without asking.

Is that a small list or a long list? Or is it a list that is just right? How many people "should" have refrigerator rights in my home?

I understand the desire to have people who are intimately involved in my life, who see the day to day working of my home. The distance of casual acquaintances or the formality of shallow relationships does not lead to real, honest support and accountability. Should I foster more friends with refrigerator rights?

This post was inspired by the book "Walking the Small Group Tightrope" by Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson.

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