We are made for community - yet we live in a really lonely culture. Communities have existed since God created Adam and Eve. That was the way that God designed it. But somewhere we got caught up in progress and “making the world a better place” that we actually left what is really important behind.
It’s important to recognize though, that we are not alone in this struggle. You are not alone in feeling alone. Literally everyone is in the same boat.
Social media gives the illusion of connection and the occasional real connection and community. Don’t get me wrong it can bring forth really strong community and connection, but that is often the exception, and not the rule.
This Sunday I heard a homily that really stuck with me on this theme of community. Among other things, he said to have community you need to lead people, you need to follow people, and you need to be walking arm in arm with people. This three fold explanation of community makes total sense! We fall short of even understanding community if we are so focused on only one of these three components.
The homily really helped me see that there are different roles that each of us play. We do not have community when we are only leading. We do not have community when we are only following. We do not have community when we are only walking arm in arm with others. Which is what we normally think of when we think of community.
We are all at different points in our lives. Even those we are linking arms with can be ahead of us and we can be learning from them as well. It does not have to be so black and white that we can never lead or learn from someone just because that isn’t their “normal” role. That’s the great thing about community, it comes up around each other and gives everyone what they need.
So I leave you with the question, who are you leading? Who are you following? And who are you linking arms with?
There is a disparity between the need for community and what is actually happening in the world today. And the only way that is going to change is if we build up our own communities. There is a new book by Jennie Allen called “Find your People”. It’s about the need for community but also the practical implementation that you need to start building community! I have really been enjoying the read and been so inspired to implement these changes in my own life. For the month of July on the podcast we are going to do a book study of this book. I invite you to go get the book, and join us here on the podcast so that we can learn and implement it together. We all need some accountability and what better place than to start building up community?!
Join me this July reading “Find your people” by Jennie Allen.
Here is the schedule:
July 4th - Part 1 We Need Each Other
July 11th - part 2 The Path to Connection, chapters 5&6 Close and Safe
July 18th - Part 2 The Path to Connection, chapters 7-9 Protected, Deep, and Committed
July 25th - Part 3 Fighting for Your Village
You have two weeks to get the book and read part 1. I can’t wait to grow in this season with you
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