Community

Sometimes I think back to my earliest years as a teenager and the perspective I had of the world then.

You see, I wasnt exactly "popular" by any stretch of the imagination, quite the opposite really. I spent most weeks at home watching tv or playing video games. I didnt really leave the house except for school, and just didnt seem to have much interaction with people at all.

I can remember lying in bed most nights thinking to myself "What on earth would it take to get people to like me or to even want to be around me?"

I felt hated, neglected, insecure, lonely, and unwanted.

This continued for many years until I started getting into the youth group at the church down the street from me. I went for 2 reasons: Food and Girls.

But there was a third reason that I couldnt express at the time. I wanted to be there because it seemed like in spite of myself, the people actually wanted me to be there, wanted to be my friend.

I felt like I belonged somewhere, even if I didnt know how I felt about what they believed in.

This post is inspired by the last 2 days. My birthday was on Tuesday of this week, and even though I'm 24 and birthdays arent supposed to be cool anymore, I have had friends and family go out of their way to celebrate my birthday over the last 2 days. I never, ever, not even in my wildest dreams would have thought I would have such a wonderful community of people around me.

Many people are like 13 year old Corey. They dont do anything, they dont hang out with anybody, life is stressful and overwhelming, and its a struggle to get out of bed each day. After all, why get out of bed when nobody really cares?

It's not a hard concept. We as humans want to be fully known, to be loved for all that we are. That is what the gospel offers, and subsequently should be displayed through us as followers of Christ. To be the church is be good community for people who have none. It's to be strong where another is weak, to share in brokenness, and to fight for each other.

"Now you are the body, and each one of you is a part of it." - 1 Corinthians 12:27

That verse is a part of a larger dialogue by Paul on the church community and how it should function as a whole. That simple verse illustrates the point that the church is the community that represents the love of Christ, and if we are in Christ we are a part of it.

Christianity isnt played on the sidelines, we dont get to just watch. It is an active thing, we are all vital to redeeming this world.

Dont let fear or pride stop you from playing the role you were meant to play. Lives are at stake, people need healthy community to love and support them. People are walking life out alone, when we as the body should be right alongside them.

You want to see the kingdom come? To see lives changed and people come to know the love of God? Then we must work together, take action, and make sure that no one in our context goes to bed at night feeling uncared for.

"We weren't called to join a church, we were called to be the church." - Goodnight Wednesday

Know you are loved, know you have a place of belonging in the Father. Then show someone else they belong.