Iron Sharpens Iron
/community/: a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals; a unified body of individuals
With billions of people living around the world, it’s disheartening to see the steady rise in disconnect and the decline in community among people today. It has become easier to pick up our phones and scroll through the highlight reals of our acquaintances, or breezily greet people in passing, instead of choosing to be intentional with the people who are present in our own lives. And trust me, I am just as guilty of doing the same thing. I get caught in the busyness of my everyday routine of wake up, go to work, eat, sleep, and repeat, without pausing to take a moment to actually ask my coworker how she’s truly doing. While intentionality can be difficult, and it may seem more effortless to carry on down the path of everyday routine, God created community as a means of growth and encouragement, as mentioned in Proverbs 27:17. The way I like to think of it is that in the beginning of time, God created Adam and He could have easily left it at that. But God also knew that humanity was not meant to live life alone. We needed some form of connection so He created Eve, and that was the beginning of community.
God’s purpose behind building community is for us to encourage one another, create authenticity, foster love, and ultimately, grow each other in our relationships with Christ. One of my favorite things about the community I have experienced throughout my life is the way that it brings people of all different ages, backgrounds, and seasons of life together with no other commonalities except for their love for Christ. In my experience, being in relationship with people of all ages and seasons of life has provided me with people to look up to and ask questions about life and faith, but it has also given me the opportunity to use what I have learned to encourage those who are searching and lead those still finding their identity in Christ.
Community isn’t solely meant to help grow one another in Christ, it also creates a way for people to relate to one another through fellowship. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people is so important in building relationships. Not only does it foster fellowship, but people who have the same interests and passions are more likely to encourage each other in pursuing their dreams instead of swaying one another away from their path. Communities who value what each person has to offer and who encourage and love each other for their different talents and abilities, model what Christ describes relationships as in Romans 12.
“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” – Romans 12:4-5
When we come together in community and value the relationships, giftings, and talents God has uniquely blessed each person with, we are able to best love like Christ. We each have different capabilities, but when brought together in community with others, we become the body of Christ. So together lets be intentional. Lets encourage one another, build authentic relationships, foster love, and ultimately, grow each other in our relationships with Christ, because a life lived with community is a life lived to its fullest.
“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” – Matthew 18:20