The American dream perpetuates this idea that every man is for himself (or every woman for herself – I-N-D-E-P-E-N-D-E-N-C-E – HOLLA!). But for real, we are so blinded by the need to take care of ourselves that we go day to day, full of tasks, running from one thing to the next. For me, I feel so busy yet my daily plans include no one but myself. It’s not so much that I’m inconsiderate but moreso, that I am so check-list minded & I’m just, “Ok, got that done. On to the next task!” Meanwhile, am I considering others in the process? Could the things I do from day to day still get done but benefit/help others at the same time?
That’s the beauty of community.
These last three weeks, I’ve been living with a team of 6 other women. I’ve had to think about how my actions and even my passiveness affects everyone around me. We’ve had to collaborate on what our days looks like, who will accomplish what tasks, manage our time, make grocery lists, cook together, live on budget together, travel together. Everything TOGETHER! Community is hard but it stretches us to see that life together is so much more rewarding than life alone.
Just one last snippet & I’ll introduce you to my team…
A wise ol’ owl suggested a book to me (that I highly recommend reading, especially to anyone interested in mission work). In “An Irresistible Revolution”, Shane Claiborne speaks beautifully about the concept of community:
“Once we get past the rebellious or reactive countercultural paradigm and muster up the courage to try living in new ways, most of us find that community is very natural and makes a lot of sense, and that it is not as foreign to most of the world’s population as it is to us. Community is what we are created for. We are made in the image of a God who is community, a plurality of oneness. When the first human was made, things were not good until there were two, helping one another. The biblical story is the story of community, from beginning to end. Jesus lived and modeled community with his little band of disciples. He always sent them out in pairs, and the early church is the story of a people who were together and were of one heart and mind, sharing all in common. The story ends with a vision of the new community in the book of Revelation, where the city of God is dressed beautifully for her lover, this community called the New Jerusalem, where heaven visits earth and people are fully reconciled to God and each other, the lion lays down with the lamb, mourning turns to dancing, and the garden takes over the concrete world! But that doesn’t mean community is easy. For everything in this world tries to pull us away from community, pushes us to choose ourselves over others, to choose independence over interdependence, to choose great things over small things, to choose going fast alone over going far together. The simple way is not the easy way. No one ever promised us that community or Christian discipleship would be easy. There’s a commonly mistranslated verse where Jesus tells the disciples, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me. . . . For my yoke is good and my burden is light.” People take that to mean that if we come to Jesus, everything will be easy. (The word good is often mistranslated as “easy.”) Ha, that’s funny. My life was pretty easy before I met Jesus. In one sense, the load is lighter because we carry the burdens of the world together. But he is still telling us to pick up a yoke. Yoke had a lot of different meanings. It was the tool used for harnessing animals for farming. It was the word used for taking on a rabbi’s teaching (as Jesus seems to use it here). Yoke was also the word used for the brutal weight of slavery and oppression that the prophets call us to break (Isaiah 58, among other passages). One of the things I think Jesus is doing is setting us free from the heavy yoke of an oppressive way of life. I know plenty of people, both rich and poor, who are suffocating from the weight of the American dream, who find themselves heavily burdened by the lifeless toil and consumption we put upon ourselves. This is the yoke we are being set free from. The new yoke is still not easy (it’s a cross, for heaven’s sake), but we carry it together, and it is good and leads us to rest, especially for the weariest traveler. I recently heard someone say that even Jesus didn’t carry his cross alone. A friend named Simon helped him carry his cross. Who are we to try to bear our cross alone?”
Now, that’s a good word. (Thanks for the help, Shane!)
<3
G.
Meet My Community (Team)
Introducting: The SOUL Sisters!
Shepherdsville, Kentucky
When I think of Lydia, I think of her as a sassy, loud, happy-go-lucky butterfly. She is full of joy and has a heart for people & is the first to help at a moment’s notice.
Chicago, Illinois
Jenny has such a sweet spirit. She is passionate for the Lord and quick to pray for those in need. Great DJ & got her chef skills on point! Jenny is the only person who will ever use mustard to flavor chicken & I’ll actually enjoy it! Haha.
Austin, Texas
Sarah does this thing where she quietly insert funny snippets during conversation that you have to be paying attention to really pick up. & if you’re lucky enough to hear it, you might be the only one laughing with her while everyone else wonders what’s so funny. Ha! Sarah has a kindness that just puts you at ease when she speaks & is definitely someone to learn from.
Orange County, California
Kelsey is our team leader and she has done a great job of exemplifying what it means to lead by serving. Kelsey is quirky & knows a lot about random things. When you think she can’t surprise you anymore, she teaches you how to surf. Pura Vida!
Columbia, South Carolina
Ahh, AB. 🙂 I just put a little smiley face emoticon because when I think of AB, I think of her warm and welcoming smile. AB has a calming, inviting spirit about her that make you wish she was your best friend!
(Photo Creds: Yours Truly =P)
Andover, Minnesota
Anna is one of our 3 Squad Leaders who travel to different teams. We are blessed to have her join our team for the month of October. She reminds me of one of my good friends, Bethany, which is uber comforting! She thinks outside the box & has a gentle passion for God. Slow to speak, her words are always filled with great wisdom, displaying an ear for the Spirit. A game of cards goes a long way with her. 🙂
