Community: The Painful Pleasure

Community is my favorite word to hear and to talk about as of late. Every time I hear it, I get this warm, nostalgic feeling inside that tugs me into a place of desiring more and more of it. It is so special, so intimate, so weighted with meaning.

I think (maybe too much at times) that an interactive community is the opposite of loneliness. I had to "unteach" myself about the subject of loneliness. I am somewhat socially active, so I don't experience this feeling often, but it still knocks gently at my door every once and a while. Sometimes, it even convinces me that I want it. I occasionally find myself thinking that it would be much easier not to deal with people....and all that the word "people" connotes, like emotions, different viewpoints on religion and politics, abandonment. And maybe, to a certain, tangible extent, that is true. But being around others is the only thing that fills that void- that necessity to love and to be loved. So, avoidance is never the answer.

For the most part of the summer, I have had no car, no job....therefore limited money. But the one thing that has remained is community. I have thoroughly enjoyed the people that I've hung around. Some of us really don't have much in common, come to think of it, regarding religion, politics (especially politics), and positions in life, but we still form a group, a community, that sticks together.

I believe God places people around you so that you can love and be loved, disagree and be disagreed with, reconcile and be reconciled with, forgive and be forgiven. This microcosm of community is minutely a reflection of our divine relationship with God. His love remains, no matter what we do. Nothing can separate us from it. Community is the only place where you can learn about yourself, learn of others, and learn of God.

There is nothing wrong with desiring a relationship (I am still a little fuzzy about the topic). However, being in a relationship is not the only way to avoid loneliness. Community is. Being surrounding by people who want to see you prosper in all areas of life. People who encourage you when you are down and reprove you when you are going astray.

We disagree.
We fight.
We hate.

but, you are in my God-given community. And that is all right with me.

Familiar Chains

It is so easy to get caught up in familiarity. Those comfortable chains that grace your neck so lightly, so tightly. But you know that they are there. You know that you are use to them, but you are afraid of what would happen if you let them go. You have grown accustomed to the little oxygen that you breathe in, because you think these chains are normal.

I confronted one of my many chains, recently. This one was called self.

There was this guy at my church; I really don't know him at all. Instantly, my mind buildt prejudices against him. He was very, very dark. Full of tattoos. Smelled of smoke. Blood-shot eyes. You know, the works.

You see, I admit. I don't know how to deal with certain folks. I feel incompetent when it comes to Agapic, non-stereotypical love. He made me uncomfortable, unsure, unholy.

He walked up to me during the church service, and asked for a bottle of water. My mind instantly yelled, "WHO ARE YOU? WHY WOULD I GIVE YOU ANYTHING!" Then I realized my fatal problem.

Subtle conviction warned me not to think more highly of myself. I need to see everyone with Jehovah's eyes, the eyes of Love. I am to think of others more highly than myself. I believe that happens when you "lay down your life for your friends." Laying down your selfish wants and basic needs for the lives of those created by the same Creator as you were.

In brokenness, I retrieved him a bottle of water. Then, we began to talk. About his tattoos, of course. One of his tats is the name of his daughter. He talked about his great love for her, and how he wanted her to have a great future. We talked about the bible and how he didn't trust it. But he was working on his belief in Jesus.

I need to practice this life of holy uncomfortableness. Loving those who are not like me. Not like the people I hang around. Thinking more highly of those around me than myself.

I believe that is the Kingdom of Heaven that is to come.

"Come break the chains,
The chains that hinder love.
All that remains of yester year.
Come break the chains,
The chains that pull me down.
Come break the chains and draw me near. "

The Prosperity Lie

I don't get it. No entiendo.

You say that if a person "struggles," then they are not blessed? If their car breaks down, or if they cannot pay a bill....this apparently classifies as a curse from God. Because "life more abundantly" is suppose to be full of houses and 13 cars and a puppy named Roxy (who is smaller than a chicken wing.)

Not so.

I am sorry that you measure the spiritual with the quantity of naturalism. More money, more God, eh? I mean, I might have little faith, but please don't measure something spiritual with the grunge of this planet.

I am called to be in this world...but not of it. This message that you preach seems to be a reflection of the love of money, a bearing on what this world has to offer. But, on the contrary,I understand that even without a house, a car, or any other material possession, I am smiled on by the Most High. I need to grasp the fact that even if He doesn't deliver me from the fires of this realm, I know without a shadow of doubt in my mind that He is more than able and more than willing to do that. Now that is the abundant life that I am called to. Transcendence. No matter what..... My God is my God.

I am not cursed. I will not receive it.

It is not a sin to be rich (I mean, who doesn't want to be.... am I right? am I right?)....but I think it is very, very sad to die rich.





Waging Peace