Community Part 1
05 Jan 2011 1 Comment
Lately I’ve been thinking about the importance of community. Perhaps I am just odd or maybe there are other people out there like me. Let me explain. Often times when I go through hard times I tend to resist speaking with the people I know I need to talk to to help and advise me, typically an older adult. Instead often times I go to someone who will just hear me out, typically one of my peers. Why do I do this? It comes down to pure pride and often times I don’t really even think about the fact that I am doing it. For me I struggle because I want to be independent. I don’t want to need other people or have to take someone’s advice. However, the Bible warns of this kind of pride. Proverbs 11:2 warns that “when pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”
I have been learning that observing true community extends far beyond ourselves and our own comfort. Observing the greater Christian community is about letting God use other people in our lives. Did you ever stop and think that perhaps God has placed someone in your life and you have failed to seek their advice because of your pride and that perhaps you thereby missed an opportunity for divine counsel? Perhaps we need to take a minute to think of the people in our lives whose advice we should be seeking and make more of an effort to be open with them. Proverbs 15:31;33 says that “He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.” We have nothing to be afraid of if the counsel we receive is grounded in the Bible. So what if someone tells us that what we are doing is wrong-if it is a word given to us is supported by the scriptures, then we need to hear it. Anything short of that is pride. Often times it’s people who are older then us who know more. So one of my goals this year is to shut up and listen. I want to listen to the people whom God has placed in my life. I want to hear their stories and have them advise me in mine. I encourage you to join me on this adventure. What has been spoken over you in truth may just change your life. God give us humble hearts.
Jan 05, 2011 @ 10:21:57
I struggle with this, too. God is about community, so the enemy definitely wants to destroy that, probably why so many people and countries in the world value independence and people find it more attractive to figure it out on their own, myself included. God likes interdependence rather than independence!