Hebrews 10:24-25 – And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 – And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Have you ever wondered why there is no such thing as “support individuals.” At least not that I have heard. There are only support groups. That is because recovering from an addiction involves the help of others.
Perhaps the support community is on to something… something that Scripture references many times as well. In the context of living life together, a group is far better than one. Living in community is far better than living in isolation.
But living in community is not simply living in proximity. You can still live on your isolated farm and live in community. To live in community means that you bring others into your life and they bring you into theirs. It means getting involved. In fact, it means getting involved to the point where you know each other’s business.
Hebrews 10 is a great example of this. In the above listed passage, we are not only encouraged to not neglect meeting together but to also stir one another to love and good works. So it is not just about being near someone, it is about having an influence on them.
Let me ask you, are you close enough to other people (and do you allow them close enough to you) that you can influence them? If not, then that is your first step. You need to open up your life more and take the effort to get involved in other lives.
But if you consider yourself close enough to people already, then I have another question: are you stirring them to love and good works? If all you do is talk about sports, work, kids, or gossip you are not stirring them on to love and good works. You must get vulnerable, and you must also be willing to pry a little bit.
This does not happen overnight. If you are new a church then don’t think you can have influence on people right away. But get involved and look for opportunities in which you might do so in the future. For example, get involved in a small group and/or Bible study. Serve with a group of people together. Go on a mission trip with people from the church. As you all get to know each other, a time will come when you can start to stir.
So who are you? Mr. Loner Christian? Mrs. Leave-Me-Alone Christian? If so, then, as Solomon might say, you are easily breakable.
Don’t be like that. Be a cord that is not easily broken. Live in community with other believers.