The Power of Connection: Growth, Protection, and Exposure
Connection is one of the most powerful forces in life. God designed us to be connected — to Him and to one another. It’s through connection that we find strength, growth, and purpose. My story is one that is marked by my connections.
As a young man, without any positive male role models, I struggled to make good decisions and quickly found myself reflecting on this in a jail cell. In a simple prayer, I surrendered my life to God and found myself with a new beginning. I joined a church appropriately called “New Beginnings” and the pastor became my first positive male role model. I listened to his teachings and put them into practice in my business. This connection has shaped my life and business.
Connection is never neutral. It either builds or drains, empowers or exposes, strengthens or weakens. That’s why Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” The people we’re connected to influence not just our emotions but our outcomes.
The Principle of Transference
In both life and business, there is a principle of transference — the unseen exchange that happens through connection. Spend time with someone long enough, and you begin to take on their spirit, their pace, their perspective. In a positive sense, this is how growth happens: wisdom, peace, and excellence can transfer through proximity. But the reverse is also true. An unwise connection can bring great exposure. An unethical business partner or a company that goes under can cost you your reputation, your equity or your options.
It is important to be discerning who we connect with; this is why Jesus often withdrew to pray (Luke 5:16). Even as He poured into others, He reconnected to the source of His strength. Connection without discernment drains. Connection with God restores.
In business, transference shows up in company culture. A leader’s mindset, tone, and energy cascade down through teams and departments. When leadership is grounded in peace, purpose, and integrity, that spirit multiplies. When it’s marked by anxiety or division, that spreads too. The environment becomes an echo of what’s in the leader.
Connection as Growth and Protection
Healthy connection provides covering — not control, but protection. Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 says, “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” God designed connection to create strength through unity. In business, this means surrounding yourself with people who sharpen you, not just those who agree with you.
In life, connection keeps us accountable and safe. Wise counsel protects from impulsive decisions; trusted relationships protect from isolation. But there’s also a refining side to connection: exposure. True connection reveals what’s unresolved in us. The friction of relationship often surfaces what still needs growth — pride, impatience, fear. That exposure isn’t punishment; it’s preparation.
The Double-Edged Power of Connection
Connection magnifies whatever is already there. It’s like a conduit — if you’re connected to people of faith, wisdom, and peace, that current strengthens you. If you’re connected to chaos, it drains you. In business, a single toxic relationship can pull an entire team off balance. But one life-giving connection can revive a vision that was almost lost.
That’s why Jesus told His disciples in John 15:4, “Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.”
Our first and strongest connection must be to Jesus. Every other connection flows from that source.
Reflection
Ask yourself:
Who am I connected to — and what is transferring into my life as a result?
Do my business relationships bring peace and growth, or stress and confusion?
Am I staying connected to God so that what flows through me adds value to others?
Connection is power. Use it with discernment, nurture it with love, and anchor it in truth. Because who you are connected to will always determine what flows through you — in life, in leadership, and in business.