Community-“mutual participation; the public; a society of persons under the same laws; friendly association/companionship. Living in the same place and having a particular characteristic in common; a feeling of fellowship with others as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests and goals.” Does any of this resonate with you? Do you have “community” or are you feeling like an outsider? Do YOU make people feel like they are part of YOUR community? Or do you have a close-knit group of friends with no room for additions?
Although I do not care for the author of “It Takes a Village”, I DO believe that we need one another and EVERYONE needs a helping hand from time to time! A friend takes my daughter to dance on Mondays because it is on her way home from our home school group; a friend is going through cancer with her daughter so there is a meal schedule set up for them where they know friends/family are bringing dinner on certain nights…they don’t want to worry about cooking dinner at the end of the day when their child is going through chemo and radiation!! My daughter is no longer interested in her American Girl Doll, but a friend of ours would LOVE for HER daughter to have it…why not, right? A neighbor helped us out one time when our dog jumped our fence…I was pregnant, had little kids and my husband was out of town….they tracked down our dog and brought him back home to us-what a blessing! I have been to 4 funerals in the last 6 months….they were either the mom or dad of a friend of mine….there is nothing I can do other than be there as a physical presence and let them know I care! I was trying to pay cash at the grocery store one day recently and I didn’t have the cash I needed….the gentleman behind me handed me a $20 bill….I had never seen him in my life and probably won’t again…HE MADE MY DAY! These are just a few occurrences that I can recall: a car ride, a meal, a doll, tracking down a dog, sitting in a chair/pew, $20….no big deal, right?! EXACTLY!!!
You may be new to the neighborhood, just started a new job, going to a new church, working out at a new gym….wouldn’t you want people to reach out to YOU!? Is your child the new kid in the class? Don’t you want people to embrace them and make them feel included? ‘m guessing the answer is “YES”….we don’t have to be best friends, but let’s be civil…PLEASE. Introvert vs extrovert….quiet vs loud…a natural-born leader or more of a follower….none of that matters….what DOES matter is if you are polite vs rude….friendly vs hostile…welcoming vs rejecting.
The Golden Rule-Matthew 7:12 says, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law of the Prophets.”
Passions, Pitfalls and Plenty of Prayer 
Leave a comment