Community

I'm sore this morning. And it's my own fault. Last night, I set a (far too) lofty goal of tackling the moving stuff remaining in the garage. Most of it is stuff that needs stored, but the frustrating part of it is that, until I deal with that stuff, I can't really move on with other stuff. And I can't finish the job of unpacking the house. So I decided to tackle the boxes in the garage, and I took on too much. Several boxes I picked up I should have had someone help me. (And yes, I know there are people who would help me...I'm just very often far too determined to do it myself!) So I'm paying the price today. I didn't get the job done like I wanted to and my muscles are telling me, "You did too much."

I'm almost glad I have a meeting tonight so I won't be tempted to try to do it again.

But the whole thing reminds me vividly of why we need others. Why we need community. Why we weren't created to live on our own. The "ideal" picture of the "rugged, American individualist" is a lie. We were made for community, for life together. We need each other—not just to carry boxes, but to make it through life, to grow in our faith and to accomplish great things.

Yesterday, I had the privilege to tour the 14th & Chestnut Community Center here in Terre Haute. The building is a former EUB church, and while some may think that the church "failed" by closing and not surviving in a changing community, I came to believe, in many ways, that church's legacy continues on and is, perhaps, greater than it ever was before. I saw kids who are learning to rely on each other, who are finding strength in community, who are gaining valuable life skills as they learn from others who have "been there." They are surrounded every day with the love of Jesus. The energy, excitement and passion of the center's director (who is a Methodist pastor) was and is contagious. And the key to what is happening there is found in the name: community. Community is absolutely key to their success...and to ours as well.

We were created for life together, and that's why the writer to the Hebrews says to not neglect the gathering together of the saints (see Hebrews 10:25). It's not to "juice the attendance stats." It's because we need each other. Together, we can be better and do more than we can apart.

And together we can carry heavier boxes. At least that's what my muscles are reminding me of today!