Stewardship of Community
“For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” —Romans 12:5
Have you ever played the game Would You Rather? In it, you choose between two (often humorous) unpalatable options, such as, “Would you rather wear clown shoes every day or a clown wig every day?”
In his letter to the Romans where the above verse appears, the apostle Paul seems to be asking, “Would you rather live without your arm or your leg? Your eyes or your ears? Your mind or your heart?” To him, being one with Christ means belonging to each other, needing each other. It means recognizing that I can’t truly follow Christ without you, and you can’t follow Christ without me.
Yet most of us probably don’t look around the pews at church and think, “My life depends on that person.”
If we began to see our fellow churchgoers that way, we’d probably behave differently. We would ask questions to understand each other’s gifts. We’d be vulnerable and open, sharing our struggles and seeking support. We would step in to bear each other’s burdens and to celebrate each other’s triumphs. We would steward our relationships with care and intention.
That kind of community offers a window into the holiest of communities: the trinity. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am among them” (Matthew 18:20). Let’s invest in and animate our Kenilworth Union relationships, because wouldn’t we rather have Jesus near?
Prayer: Jesus, bless our church community. Show me how to give and to receive.