I had a friend approach me with a great job opportunity. “Do you know a guy?” I did, actually. Right off the top of my head I knew of the perfect candidate. “Here, check out his work,” I said.
“Oh. This guy? Ya, I won’t be interviewing him. I met him a couple years ago and he made fun of what I do.” That ticked me off. My friend burned a bridge – a bridge he thought he’d never need.
If you know me, I never burn bridges. I don’t believe in it. As much of a pyro as I am, I never set fire to bridges. Rain, maybe. But not bridges. It isn’t wise.
But the problem with this “never burn bridges” concept is that people get it all wrong.
I never burn bridges because bridges are people. They aren’t opportunities to be used. They aren’t means to ends. They are human beings that I should love because God loves. I don’t burn bridges because it isn’t love. And I need to love.
I may never get any benefit from a single “bridge” in my life. I might bend over backward extending grace and mercy without it ever returning to me. But that’s ok. I don’t salvage my bridges because they’re useful to me. I salvage them because they’re people.
If you’re choosing which bridges to save, you’re a user. If you’re saving bridges because you think someone might be of benefit to you in the future, you’re a user. Save bridges because they are valuable individuals you are called to love.
And ya, there’s a huge benefit to saving bridges in your life. I’m not going to lie. Good stuff and great opportunities come around when you have a bounty of strong bridges in your life. But again, that’s a fringe benefit, not the goal.
Never burn bridges. Love bridges.
Great point! I’m sharing this.
Great point! I’m sharing this.