In my early days, you may not believe it but I needed money. I was about 13 years old and I wanted to buy some things. I was a man! Would you believe my first job was working for myself? Yep, I worked a few days a week cutting grass in my neighborhood. It was quite amazing! When I first came up with the idea I was immediately faced with two challenges: no lawnmower and severe allergies. These two challenges would have been enough for most people to give up. But I didn’t think my challenges were that great. What do you think? Regardless, I still needed (wanted) money. Cutting grass was a simple solution to getting money. But with my challenges was it possible?
What does this story have to do with community? Everything!
Have you ever dreamed of doing something great? Or achieving some lofty goal? Yet the reality of your circumstances seemed impossible to overcome? Being in a community helps us to overcome obstacles. That’s why the community is crucial to our survival as a people. No one person can do it all. Unfortunately, too few people understand that. Recently, I was reminded of a song I had long forgotten, the words go something like this, “…as long as I got king Jesus, I don’t need nobody else.” When I was a child, I thought the song was crazy, but everyone seemed to be singing it. I joined in although, it just didn’t line up. If I didn’t have my parents, I would have starved to death. Well, maybe not, I was born in the late fall, so I probably would have died from hyperthermia. Anyway……as long as I got king Jesus, I don’t need nobody else.” When I was a child, I thought the song was crazy, but everyone seemed to be singing it. I joined in although, it just didn’t line up. If I didn’t have my parents, I would have starved to death. Well, maybe not, I was born in the late fall, so I probably would have died from hyperthermia. Anyway…
Even from the beginning of Man, God never designed him to be alone. Genesis 2:18 King James Version,
“And the LORD God said, [It is] not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”
He said, ‘it is not good’. What? Adam had GOD, what more could he need? (No, this is not about finding a wife that’s another blog.) This is about building community.
God has not designed people to be removed from people. Solitary confinement is a punishment, not a reward. When a person is isolated and has nothing to look at by a blank wall, that prevents team building and interpersonal skills. God wants us working together. Like-minded people, people who are after many of the same things in life, need to pull resources together to get the jobs done. Not just one job, there are lots of accomplishments working together will bring.working together. Like-minded people, people who are after many of the same things in life, need to pull resources together to get the jobs done. Not just one job, there are lots of accomplishments working together will bring.
In my walk with God, my faith and trust are in Him alone. He is my salvation and my righteousness, nothing replaces him, not even my wife and/or my children. However, a part of my relationship with God completely based in my interactions with others, helping others develop a positive relationship with Him. In 1 John 4:40, John links the relationship with God and people clearly.are in Him alone. He is my salvation and my righteousness, nothing replaces him, not even my wife and/or my children. However, a part of my relationship with God completely based in my interactions with others, helping others develop a positive relationship with Him. In 1 John 4:40, John links the relationship with God and people clearly.
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Do you say, “I don’t hate [people], I just don’t want anything to do with [the] people [that Jesus died for and that God said the loves]. Curious?loves]. Curious?
Psalm 133 puts it like this
Behold, how good and how pleasant [it is] for brethren to dwell together in unity! [It is] like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, [even] Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, [and as the dew] that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, [even] life for evermore.
David is telling us about a community where everyone is serving God together, no one person is carrying the weight of everyone else. David tells us the community were people unite for the purpose of glorifying God is precious and that when we do this [not just on an individual level] but as a body that the God of Heaven and Earth commands the blessing, the blessing is, life in its fullness.were people unite for the purpose of glorifying God is precious and that when we do this [not just on an individual level] but as a body that the God of Heaven and Earth commands the blessing, the blessing is, life in its fullness.
No one person is tasked with doing everything because this is not a one-man show. Even Yeshua/Jesus had help carrying His Cross, (see Matthew 27:32). God gave Aaron to Moses to be his mouthpiece (see Exodus 4:14-16) but it was the people who built the Tent of Meeting (see Exodus 28).
When I was a child, wanting money, I overcame my obstacles not on my own or by dreaming. I didn’t have the tools needed to get the money I wanted. I had friends who had lawnmowers and who were not allergic to grass. This allowed me to go door to door, getting people who wanted our services. I used my skills to pull resources together and it was a win-win-win situation. When it was said and done, we had about 5 lawnmowers, cutting several lawns at the same time. I made money, my friends made money, and the people got their grass cut.lawnmowers and who were not allergic to grass. This allowed me to go door to door, getting people who wanted our services. I used my skills to pull resources together and it was a win-win-win situation. When it was said and done, we had about 5 lawnmowers, cutting several lawns at the same time. I made money, my friends made money, and the people got their grass cut.
Working together we can do great things. It is time for the people of God to show strength and prevail. Nehemiah 4:6 tells us the people had a mind to work.
Thomas Paine said “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.”
Where are you in the progression? Will you Lead? Follow? Or get out of the way? Many say they will lead, all will follow, the questions is, how will you know you are building a community? In Nehemiah 4:6 the people could see the wall, that was a clear sign that they were working? Too many people are talking the talk but are not walking the walk.talk but are not walking the walk.
Please don’t get run over or found on the wrong side of God’s deliverance. He is coming for a people who work while it is day.
“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ And he answering, said, ‘I do not wish to,’ but afterwards he repented and went. And having come to the second, he said similarly. And he answering, said, ‘I go, master,’ but he did not go. Which of the two did the desire of the father? They said to Him, “The first.” Matthew 21:28-31
Then He said to His taught ones, “The harvest truly is great, but the workers are few. Pray then that the Master of the harvest would send out workers to His harvest.” Matthew 9:37
The people are coming from everywhere with all types of backgrounds and stories. They all need a safe place, a place that is healthy and functioning with the blessings of our King, the blessing of Life!
Shalom!
PS. About the picture. Right now it’s just a pile of bricks. But when we get it together, it will be anything we want it to be.
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