I have had the honor of being part of some amazing communities in my life so far. I had a wonderful group of friends all throughout high school who walked with each other through the awkwardness of puberty, first boyfriends, family heartaches and discovering relationship with Jesus. Then I went to college and found myself again in the midst of some amazing Jesus-loving community! We laughed together, cried together, prayed together, worshiped together, studied together, healed together and dreamt of the future together. Those times of community were so beautiful and pulled me closer to Jesus and grew me so much as a person.
Community can look so different depending on the stage of life and the context you are in, but the heart of it should be the same. I have learned so much about community by living in Haiti. Christian community here isn’t just a nice idea or something you can take or leave or even something that you have to go searching for… community is survival. You just can’t make it here on your own. American culture is so much about the individual. The messages I received growing up were that it is good to never need anyone. You should just learn to do it on your own. Figure it out. Be independent. Never truly need anyone. But here… in these mountains of Haiti “not needing anyone” just isn’t an option. If you have no water because you don’t have a water cistern, you rely on the kindness of your neighbor who has one. If you have no food because your crops failed, you have a tightly knit church family who will rally together to make sure everyone has something to eat. And really I think that is much closer to how God desires it to be for all of His people.
I had been told many times in my youth that in this life “all you need is Jesus.” And while it may be true that Jesus is the only One who can save me… the only One who can fulfill my deepest longings and desires… the only One worth living for… it is also true that He purposefully made us to need each other. The family of God goes deeper and wider than a physcial relative ever could – it is by His blood that we become family. Jesus talks about this in Matthew 12:46-50. While His earthly mother and brothers were wanting to speak to Him, He posed the question “who is my true family?” He answers His own question and says that the ones who obey His Father are His family. We who are in Christ are family. And in this family God has purposed it so that we need each other. As followers of Jesus we are to be dependent on God while being interdependent on each other.
Acts 2:42-47
“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
*Lord Jesus, teach us to live in such a godly expression of community no matter where we live. Oh that the beauty of our unity as Your body would be a sign and a wonder to the world that would draw people to Yourself! Be glorified Jesus and let your family grow!*