As an elementary school student, I remember the bane of impetigo, a contagious skin infection forming pustules and yellow crusty sores often appearing on the mouth. When a classmate entered the room with the telltale sores, they were immediately sent home and couldn’t return until their skin had cleared up. Being isolated isn’t a whole lot of fun when you are a little kid, especially when your mouth is a crusty mess.
THE CHALLENGE OF COMMUNITY
Human beings of any age are social creatures, created to live life together. Yet many people insist on living in seclusion because living in community, especially Christian community, can be challenging. It means making oneself vulnerable to others and making sacrifices. That is the underlying theme to James 5:13-20. We read what community for a believer, as designed by God, looks like. James mentions the communities of suffering, rejoicing, illness, confession, and caring. If someone strays, the individual should be lovingly pulled back to community.
ISOLATION MAKE US VULNERABLE
Remember those nature films where the lions pursue their next meal by separating that lone animal from the herd? That’s what Satan wants for believers, to separate us from other believers so we are vulnerable to attack.
THE EFFORT OF COMMUNITY
It can take a great deal of effort to commit to community living. “If we love each other, we will not stand in judgment on each other or speak evil against each other. We will not bite or devour each other (as if we were wild beasts). And we will not provoke or envy or lie to each other. Positively, if we love each other, we will be kind and compassionate to each other, forbear and forgive each other, submit to each other and build each other up, practice hospitality to each other ungrudgingly, encourage each other, admonish and comfort each other, pray for each other and bear each other’s burdens.” (from “The Living Church”, by John Stott).
If more of us purposely lived this way, wouldn’t the local community of believers be wondrous?
THE OPPORTUNITY OF COMMUNITY
How about considering Christian community as an opportunity to live out life as God has designed? In my own life I have my Life Group. The participants are individuals I can weep and laugh with. We praise God together and pray. Our community is a safe place to be genuine. They hold me accountable if I start “straying off the reservation”. They are James 5:13-20.
GOD’S DESIGN FOR US
Have you pushed against the Christian ideal of community due to past painful experiences? Do you consider isolation a way to protect yourself? If you are a believer, you are designed for honest genuine community with other believers. Isolation does not cut it. This is God’s plan and wondrous design just for you.