The Need for Community/Family

STEP 22 ONE BASIC TRUTH – THE NEED FOR FAMILY

It's time to share one imperative, one truth that simply must be observed if any change/growth is to happen with any of us. WE SIMPLY CAN NOT DO IT ON OUR OWN! Certainly we believe on our own. We meditate on our own. We can pray on our own. There are many things spiritual that we are able to do alone. But we can not grow without others. We meet God only through others, through the interaction, the challenge, the imperfections, frustrations, love and support of and from another. This is the family, what Jesus was talking about when I said that those around him, those with whom he was debating, sharing, risking, loving, these were his family.
Discipleship is risky, dangerous, unusual – an adventure not to be entered into lightly. Few can do it on their own. Indeed of they start alone they will (must) soon join others for the very process necessitates it. Jesus made the decision to journey in the desert, alone. But he immediately called others to join him. If he needed others, why would we think we can do it alone?
There are millions of people in our society who have left organized religion but who are self declared “spiritual”, many of whom have adopted parafanalia from various groups and beliefs. Wicken, Buddhists, Native American, Christian, New Age, etc. The deceive themselves into thinking all is fine and maybe it is. But what it is NOT is growing. Growth is only possible if you are on a path and that path is shared, not necessarily with one who has identical words, visions and pasts, but one that is close enough to shout to, to share with, to support and be supported by, in a word, to love.
To chose the road of discipleship is to risk and few of us have the resources and confidence to risk alone. Only in the company (family) of others do we have the freedom to journey. And I mean this in the most real of terms. Financial, spiritual, social. Like the early church. They shared. They risked. They grew. They journeyed.
Jesus didn't leave a belief. He left a WAY. A way of life that had love as its centre. A way that people in all cultures and times could emulate. Not copy. For in each time and place the specifics might be different, spelled out in new words, customs and details. But the questions being the same: HOW CAN WE GROW IN FAITHFULNESS, EVEN TO THE STATURE OF CHRIST? The early church developed different doctrines in different places in answer to that question. Told different stories and shared different rituals to claim and make the truths they knew into actions. Only a community of faith could nourish, sustain and pass on the WAY. A person may not believe in organized religion but you can not grow spiritually without others. The challenge is to be with others that resists limits and begins to insist on rules other than love.
Whoever is reading these words is reading them by themselves. If they agree, great. If they don't share them with another they are dead as is any truth that is within them. If they are shared then there is life and hope. If they are disagreed with, debated, changed, acted upon, then the WORD of God is alive and well.
I know that it is common knowledge that we are never to talk about politics and religion. That is true if you think that you know and have all the answers and that you don't want to change/grow. I pity you and your unlived life. If you would go for it in any way, if you realize there is any kind of spark in your soul, any hint of something bigger than you are, I urge you, beg you, please talk about it with someone. Anyone. Everyone. You'll find that others are much more like you in your questions than they are dissimilar. Start by sharing some questions. Then by sharing some answers. Then by some shared doings. Don't get too organized but you'll find that you'll probably need some framework in order to feel safe, in order to be risky in some other aspect.
Go to where you can search and share. Have fun. Be joyful. Be very aware that all of this takes others. You simply can not have fun and be joyful by yourself. And if the journey is not basically a joyous one you will not stay on if for long. If you do these things you will create family. Welcome to discipleship!
Give me a shout if I can be a help or just to share news. News is to share, you know!

"As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of being." - Carl Jung

"The only way to have a friend is to be one." - Ralph Waldo Emerson