First Baptist Church of Herndon

Connected

Linda Soller | Mar 17, 2025

Sometimes I have found myself wondering about the appeal of St. Patrick’s Day for those who are not Irish.  Why wear green or orange? But then I remember we humans like to feel connected even if we won’t admit it. By celebrating a holiday such as St. Patrick’s Day we can pretty safely connect ourselves to others. How many times have you asked someone wearing green if they have an Irish heritage? Do you really even care? We connect and celebrate the holiday like we owned it, and we feel part of something much bigger than our little world.

Being connected sometimes happens without your permission, and by totally arbitrary rules. I am a member of the short people club. Not an actual club, but I am confident that I often provide amusement for others based on my height. I might add, a characteristic I didn’t chose and can’t control. But I know people see me not as me (because they may not even know me) but as part of the short people of the world. They muse about how short I am, not how tall. On a TV competition one contestant said on camera how she (at 5’ tall) was so excited that there was someone shorter than her (a contestant who owned up to being 4’10”). My reaction was, really? I felt the taller of the two would appreciate how one’s height should not become their identity.  She (of all people) should know better.

You can also select to be connected. When you join a church, or attend an event, or cross the street to meet a new neighbor you are selecting to be connected. The connections you make can impact your life in amazing ways.  Staying connected to old friends, co-workers, neighbors, or fellow believers is a choice, like wearing green on St. Patrick’s Day. The difference is that your green shirt may go unnoticed, and may never impact your life, but deciding to be connected to something important like a church or community may just change your life for the better. Are you connected?

Be strong in the Lord and be kind!

Linda