Community. Why?
I believe in it. I advocate for it. I desire it in a deeper
way than I have before. But often I don’t know my motives, my reason. After
being asked a couple weeks ago, I’ve had time to think about it. Moments of
realization.
Most recently, while reading Radical I came across a quote: “The dangerous assumption we
unknowingly accept in the American dream is that our greatest asset is our own
ability.� If we’re in true community, we’re able to realize other’s gifts to a
greater degree. It puts me in a position to work with the gifts of others.
Maybe my gifts are more powerful when offered to those around me, when I pour
them out, than they would be if I kept them to myself and moved forward on my
own power.
Another reason I already knew, but am constantly amazed at,
is what “community� did in my life. We didn’t label it that. “The house�.
“Collegedale girls�. “Our doors are always open� (Sometimes opened by one of
multiple spare keys. Sometimes unable to close because they were broken). We
were a community-sometimes a dysfunctional one when I decided my goal was to
exist and survive with walls securely up-but still a community. I’m amazed at
how little I realized the value and uniqueness of that while I was in it,
especially for me at that time of my life. They surrounded me, loved me, prayed
for me, refused to let me stay in my simply-surviving state, protected me,
called me out, poured into me even when I gave nothing in return. Honestly, it
scares me to imagine where I would be right now without “The House� or that
community.
I believed we’re called to be a community. No, we don’t
always have to live with twenty people in a house with no personal claim on
anything, or in a team of six where everything is everyone’s…but why not? It’s
easy to live alone, welcome people in whenever but still have claim. Why not
physically put myself in a position to live out “submitting to one another out
of reverence for Christ� (Eph 5:21) or “sharing each other’s burdens� (Gal 6:2)? And just to knock any pride out of
place, it makes me laugh that the very next verse says “If you think that you
are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not
that important.�
Realization yesterday-community is a training ground that
allows very little room for selfishness. If I’m constantly in and aware of the
fact that everything I do or don’t do will change life for someone else, it’s
probably the best place to practice and live out a selfless faith and life.
In the right place and season, living life with people so
closely puts us in a place to receive, to be reminded of who we are, what we’re
here for-a reality check. God speaks through people, and when we’re surrounded
by those who are listening to Him, at times it helps us to hear Him more
clearly.
This is an ongoing list. I’m still learning new
things from living life with people so closely. The ministry we are working
with this month is based on it. But more on that soon…
