Community

Last evening during our Monday night hub group, I couldn't help but be encouraged by the young people who were there. Young people who come out not because they have to, but because they want to be there and understand the importance of what community offers. Christian community especially.

Last night a young lady shared some of her experiences she had while spending a month in Thailand recently. And while doing so just beamed the love of Jesus. Another young lady is back from spending several months in Ghana. Another young lady is heading for northern Quebec to spend the next 6 weeks in a native Cree community. One of our group is in Calgary this summer, impacting for Christ on the streets there. Another at a family camp near Gibson's B.C.
Another couple who recently married spent a month at a kids camp in Brazil this past winter. Another young man who went tree planting this summer and started a bible study among co-workers. Another young lady from our larger church community just left for her second month long term in Haiti with YWAM. Another young man will soon be home from spending the last 8 months in Germany, Ethiopia and Turkey setting them on fire for the LORD with YWAM. (Youth with a Mission). Another young lady just left to serve in an orphanage in Cambodia for several weeks.

Story after story of young people allowing Christ to work through them. (I'm sure I've missed many) Literally being the hands and feet of Jesus. Loving others with servant hearts. Hearing stories like these cannot help but encourage, but can only do so if we're there to hear them.

I can't help but wonder the direction my own life would or could have taken if I'd been part of such a group when I was their age. It didn't exist for me.

It's true that the ember that falls away from the fire cools down pretty fast when on it's own. If you're fortunate enough to be around some campfires this summer, as I intend to be, try it and see what happens to the "lone ember." I've seen it in my own life, and countless other lives as well. Community offers support and encouragement to press on through the tough stuff.

When Christian community is broken, we become cold embers on our own and we miss out on so much. Although it's never too late, the fact is I wasted 20 years plus of my life, where very little if anything of eternal value was done. Selfish ambition being the main driving force.

The Bible says in Matthew 6:19-20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on the earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal."
King Solomon, the wisest and richest man that ever was, and ever will be according to the Bible. He would make Bill Gates and Warren Buffet look like paupers. He tried it all. He found it all vanity under the sun... useless. Matthew 16:26 asks us, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"

The only thing that will matter, is what we do for God's kingdom. That's all we'll be left with one day, and most of that, if not all of it, will be done through the relationships we build while we're here, and that is done through community. Everything else we'll leave behind.

If we unplugged our radios, computers and tv's we'd find that while they might look nice, they're not of much use beyond that. But, plug them in and they can bring a world of difference into our lives.

We're the same. Plugged in, we can make a difference. Unplugged ... not so much.
Community..... it's where life happens! .....Plug in!