Don't Be Alone

Loneliness hits hard.  It is the plague of our times.  Drifting away from people who care can come easily, while social effort is sometimes hard.  Our technology can be a poisonous surrogate for real interaction and connection.

But no one is an island.  Humans are wired for caring and receiving care.  God made us into community, refusing to leave Adam alone in His creation.  Without others, we are only partially created... we cannot live out God's mandate of love alone.

But the flip side is that vulnerability can feel impossible.  We grow up protecting our hurts, managing our personalities to limit exposure to bad feelings.  What we end up doing is learning to be on guard against others who might be threats.  And we pull those who appear similar close to feel safe.  We learn about bad feelings, about hurt, about gossip... and we try to avoid it all as we grow up.

But God designed up to be a collective Body.  The Church is one, with many unique people working together.  We are each different parts, pressing towards the same goal of love.  

Healthy body parts contribute.  Healthy parts work together in different ways.  Healthy humans share care and compassion for one another.  Sameness is never needed, but the basics are shared. Our leader is Jesus.  Our Life is Serving.  Our goal is Love.  

You might be uniquely gifted to make food.  You might be uniquely gifted to be handy.  You might be uniquely gifted to thoughtful conversation.  You might be uniquely gifted as a studious learner.  Come and be a part of God's Body on earth.  Give of yourself, and receive benefits of the gifts of others serving around you.  Come alongside those who also are created and serve similarly to you.  Be appreciated for who God created you to be, and offer appreciation for others who are similar AND different.  And in doing so know you are already a part of the most important mission on earth.  

We are agents on a mission from God.  We can't succeed alone.  We need one another.  And God has beautiful plans for us each... together.