It’s a pretty big deal when two people get engaged to be married. Usually there are rings, pictures, tears of joy, celebrations, congratulations and planning. Binding ourselves to the one we love for the rest of our lives is thrilling! Eventually we realize it also takes a lot of work. Our initial infatuation is challenged with the realities of merging two personalities, two wills, two families and two different paradigms into one life. It’s a lot easier to be connected than it is to be engaged. Two train cars or the links of a chain can be connected, but they cannot be engaged. To be engaged means to be involved in life with the other. There is give and take. Push and pull. There is hurt and forgiveness. There is interdependent living. There is reconciliation and compromise. We must be subject to refutation and sometimes involved in confrontation. If we are going to develop as a follower of Jesus, we’ll have to be more than connected, we’ll need to be engaged with others in the pursuit of His character. It’s not easy, but it is good. We are all becoming someone and if we live in isolation, the someone we are becoming will not be complete. God created us as interdependent beings and that includes our development as followers of Jesus Christ. Who knows your heart? Whose heart do you know? Living engaged is both exciting and scary but we were not designed to make this journey alone. Engage.