A study conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, released in June of 2006, revealed that almost 25% of the people living in the US have zero close friends. Twenty years earlier the number was 10%. Isolation is a growing problem (reported in USAToday, June 22, 2006).
In the book, A Model-Free Approach to the Study of Subjective Well Being, psychologists Carolyn Murray and Jean Peacock identified four key factors for a happy life: the number of friends, the closeness of friends, the closeness of family, and the relationships with one's co-workers and neighbors. One expert from the National Opinion Research Center said, "By far, the biggest component of happiness is how connected you are."
It's no wonder that if 25% of Americans have no close friends (and the key component to a happy life is our relationships) so many people are unhappy with life. Let me bring it closer to home. In my observations as a pastor for the past 30 years, the more disconnected an individual or family becomes from their church family, the more unhappy they will be with their church.
Jesus said that the second most important commandment is that you love others. He understood that people need people. We need each other.
This week, we are going to explore the question, "How close am I to the people God has placed in my life?"
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