Ephesians 4: 16:
From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
In our devotion yesterday, the groundwork was laid for building authentic community by defining it using the Five Ws: who, what, when, where, and why. And now the question is, just HOW does community happen? Here are four essentials of authentic community. We build community in these ways:
• By getting to know one another: being vulnerable in communicating about one’s life; sharing one’s history over a period of time; building trust with confidences safely kept.
• By loving one another: one of my favorite adages is “Dependence breeds love.” Our dependence upon God breeds a deeper, abiding love for the Father; our dependence on each other breeds love as well.
• By serving one another: remember the example in John 13 of Jesus’ washing the feet of His disciples—the Master becoming the servant. How hard it must have been for the disciples to accept Jesus’ humility, but He showed them that He came to save and to serve.
• By celebrating one another: celebrating life, love, answered prayers, rejoicing in milestones, baptisms, New Life, and showing appreciation with words of affirmation along with praises to the Father for great things He has done, all go a long way and are vital parts of building community.
As community group leaders, my husband and I are always seeking fresh ideas for keeping our folks connected to the group and meshed together in our relationships. With the COVID-19 restrictions, this has been a bit of a challenge but not one we couldn’t overcome. After eight weeks on Zoom, however, we are weary of the separation and decided to get creative. Our plan is for each person to “circle the wagons” with their SUVs in the church parking lot. We’ll keep an appropriate distance, enjoy our own picnic dinner—with my home-baked Cowboy Cookies, individually wrapped for everyone—catch up on life and pray for one another.
We have an opportunity now, with the challenges that have come with the pandemic, to paint a more beautiful picture of what God envisions for His kingdom. May each of us seek a community that will help us connect, transform many lives, and one that will give glory to God.
Lord, what a wonderful picture You have given us of Your kingdom here on earth. We acknowledge that Your desire is for us to be a wide community of people who know and love You, and demonstrate their love freely by serving others. May we acknowledge by our praises, the wondrous working of Your Holy Spirit in our lives. And may all we do be for Your sake and to Your glory, O God. Amen.
~ painting by Jane Wooster Scott
