The Perks of Community

One of the greatest joys of this year and a beloved perk of living a community lifestyle is seeing the work of God in my classmates (pictured). We have walked together for the last 3 years and to see them stepping into their destinies on new levels is a treasure to me. We are growing in unity and relationship with one another through serving and learning together. When one of them receives a break through, my eyes fill with tears of joy just as their own do. I can not help but believe that this is the way the Father intended the church to operate. Believers walking side by side, holding each other up in difficult times, and dancing with them in the joyous ones. So often we only see people once a week at church where we drop the "Christian f-word" to each other,

"How are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm fine."

We fake our way through it all week after week. But in community, there's no faking it. If you're not walking in the truth of God's Word, there's at least a dozen people who will notice and love you enough to call you out on it. I was called out on something last week. It was painful and my flesh would have preferred my friend stay silent, but they knew that I needed to get it right. The moment I repented I could literally feel the difference. My stoney heart softened and the presence of God came rushing in like a flood. Perhaps it's time to stop being afraid of offending people and start speaking into their lives out of love. Let us set aside Christian camaraderie and start practicing Biblical accountability. Because although it may be uncomfortable having others close enough to see the bad, it is life to the soul to also have them cheering you on in the good.