I’ve been reading in Hebrews these past few weeks, and one thing is evident: God cares about community and relationships. Strength in faith is grown there, power is grown there, love is grown there, and healing happens there. God created us to be relational beings. That’s why He created us and designed us to have choice. Being able to choose is what makes relationships strong. It’s also what makes it difficult.
It isn’t easy to have other people in your life. They have their hurts, insecurities, strengths, and ideas. We are all made uniquely and to choose to have relationships means to choose to do life with someone who isn’t like you. And that’s not easy because it requires humbleness, grace, forgiveness, and patience.
But God needs us to be able to operate in relationships and community. He needs us to overcome the differences and bond together. He needs us to build up one another, even when it’s not easy to hear. We have to live honestly and push others to look to God.
See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness – Hebrews 3:13
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up on 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 10:23-25
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many – Hebrews 12:14-15
