The Expression of Genuine Community

There’s a lot of talk about “community” these days. We sense that as a culture we’re becoming more fragmented and alone. We don’t often experience the kind of connectedness in our lives that we wish we could. We believe that being in community with others could produce much needed relationships. But, the reality is that many of us don’t really know what real community looks like. Life is messy, often hard, sometimes tragic. Yet it’s in that messiness and that difficulty and that tragedy where genuine community – or lack thereof – is exposed.

Last week a friend of mine showed me a letter he’d received from a friend of his. I got his permission to share that letter with you (the names have been changed). This is what genuine community looks like:

Hello, folks!

I have wanted to write this letter of thanks for a long time. So please bear with me as I stumble through this. There is a saying that “you can’t choose your family.” As with all rules, there are exceptions. You, my friends, are exactly that—the exception! You are part of our family! And I am so thankful that God brought you into our lives.

The last couple of years for us have been interesting, to say the least. Trying to figure out how to deal with John’s on-going battle with alcoholism, his accident, his relapses and recoveries have been like…sailing in uncharted waters. You’re in a horrible storm, it’s dark and you have no compass and no idea of how you are going to get through it.

Just when things are at their darkest, a light reaches out and touches you. Both of you brought that light into our lives. You open your hearts time and time again through your special gift of listening. Your “gift” has helped our family in such a deep and meaningful way, one that I can never fully explain or thank you enough for. Through all of this you have always been there—listening—with your hearts always open to our latest challenge. You were never too tired or busy, never judgmental, just there for me and my family.

Because of your “special gift”, you have enabled me to become a better husband to my wonderful Angela. You allowed me to release my fears and pain which made me stronger for her when she needed to release hers. You gave me strength to be a better father to John. Instead of bottling everything up and making the storm worse, you helped me by giving me an outlet to ease a lot of that pain and fear.

You are both extraordinary and have made such a difference in our lives. You both helped guide us through some of the darkest hours of the storm. Thank you both for your very special gift to us and for being a part of our family.

This week we will celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus came to save the world – salvation and restoration. When asked about the most important commandment, Jesus said loving God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and loving others as ourselves. We were created for relationships. And it is through these relationships that God works his power of recreation. Make the effort and the sacrifice to experience Jesus in genuine community.

Merry Christmas and Peace