Community. It’s the sense of connectedness we feel to other people. Sometimes we feel connected by shared values and beliefs, sometimes by common history, familial ties, or fidelity to a common purpose. In community we seek and offer a sense of belonging and acceptance that speak to our deepest needs. We need community. And yet we live in ways that isolate us.
Living in virtual isolation these past two years with a compromised immune system, I value technology that keeps me connected with others. But technology is a poor replacement for human contact. And it seems the more technology advances we have afforded to us, the less face to face contact we actually have with others. In a world where ‘keeping busy’ is valued so highly, there is little time to build community. But don’t you yearn for more? How do you break out of the busyness cycle to make room for community?
Perhaps we might first start by looking beyond ourselves. Think of it. How much of what you do has ‘you’ in the center of it? Your work, your hobbies, your relaxation, your worries and problems, your your pleasure and comfort? We even think God’s call on our life is about us making a big difference in the world. It’s not. It’s about God making a difference, one person at a time, as you encounter them. If you change the heart of one person, surely you change the world. While we tend to look for community in our close circle of friends, it seems God is most interested in us building community among ‘the least of these’. The first step to building community is to look beyond ourselves to others God puts in our path.
Secondly, we need to take risks. It’s safe to remain isolated or in the comfort of a small group you’ve enjoyed for years. But what about those who have no group, who leave church without being acknowledged, who are absent for weeks and not noticed? People need the Lord, but we need each other too. Who have you reached out to recently that is alone and outside your normal circle? Who have you acknowledged and valued when you had no self-serving reason to do so?
Third, it is not just a matter of spending time with people but of living life together. It might be an intensive relationship built through much shared activity. Or it might be in a passing moment. Notice people around you. Whether it be your spouse or child, your employee, or a stranger on the street. Speak value into their life. Notice people who are missing. Look through your contact list to identify people that have missed your presence. Find a way to come along side others. Share a meal. Share your struggles. Share Christ. Listen and show compassion. Speak encouraging words. Seek out practical ways to express God’s grace, His love and hope.
Frankly, I struggle with this. Maybe you do too. It was easy at work. It seemed natural to reach out to others my three months in the hospital. Largely homebound, it’s a challenge. It’s not easy to build community, but it’s worth it. It’s the reason we were put here together. We’re committed to try to build community wherever we can. I hope you do too.
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25
