Living in Community

Throughout the season of Lent, my church is working through a study on the beatitudes. Our focus is on the basics of the Matthean version: what do they mean inherently and what do they mean for our lives? The beatitudes are the prologue to the Sermon on the Mount and they set the stage for what is to come: how do we live as a Christian community?

I’ve been reflecting on this concept a lot lately. What does it mean for us to live as a Christian community? What does it mean to live as a community in general? The beatitudes give us a lot to think about it in terms of what it takes to be blessed: be poor in spirit, allow yourself to mourn, do what needs to be done even if it means being persecuted and judged for it. Better to be judged here on earth than by our heavenly father. Matthew’s audience is made up of a group of baby Christians: people who are a newly formed Christian community. This is an audience thirsty for stories that are foundational to their faith that tell them how to live and act within their community in relationship to the outside world. When we look at the beatitudes in that light, we can see the little personality traits that Matthew hopes we as Christians exhibit.

Living in community is tough. Some of us thrive on being around people; we feed off of each other’s energy. Some of us can only take being around other people for so long before our anxiety levels rise up to critical mass.

In his book Life Together, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Christian writer and theologian murdered in the Holocaust) wrote, “Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this” (pg. 21). He adds later that those who are afraid of being alone should beware community and those who can’t stand community should beware of being alone. Living the Christian life is about living in balance. We act in community and support one another by being a part of the community because God created us to be communal creatures. God creates the animals and Eve so that Adam won’t be alone because while God calls everything in His creation good, the one not-good thing is that man should be alone. We were not created to be alone, and yet Bonhoeffer warns that we should not seek out community just because we can’t handle being alone. There is a time and place for solitude. As an introvert, I enjoy my solitude but I know myself well enough to know that eventually I have to break out of the solitude to seek out community. This is living life in balance. Sometimes I do it better than other times, but I’m usually pretty good about getting myself to a community when I feel the need for a communal support. Sometimes even going to the gym is getting that “people fix.”

I digress.

This communal nature is why we worship corporately in the Presbyterian Church. I know there will come a Sunday where it is just so beautiful outside that you can’t help but go to the golf course or the beach. You might encounter God in those places, though I’m forced to wonder if you’re really calling on God’s name or not when you say His name on the golf course. But nothing compares to the way we encounter Christ when we worship together and stand together as a community through and in Jesus Christ. Community is so important. It is how we allow each other to support each other. It is only through community that we can be a blessing to others and also balance that with giving each other space to be a blessing for us as well. As a community, we hold each other accountable. We need to be blessed as much as we need to be a blessing.

How are you living in community? How are you supporting your faith community? Are there ways that your community of faith can encourage you in your walk with Christ? I encourage you and lift you up in prayer as a part of my community of faith, whether I know you by name or not. May you do the same for your faith community and for me.

Yours in Christ,
Pastor Becki