May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.

Romans 15:5 (NIV)

 

We are inextricably knit together by the love and life of Christ.

If we truly believe in the gospel of grace, our community will reveal and reflect it through acts of kindness and healing. Everyone is valuable and worth loving and worth looking after for as long as possible. This is why we see so many instances in the New Testament of brothers and sisters caring and supporting the sick and wounded until they recovered. Perhaps next time it will be the other way around, with these brothers and sisters need help and healing to get back on their feet. This is one of the benefits of a Christ-like community. Everyone can give and receive.

The essence of a healthy community embodied many, if not all, of Christ's qualities. Love others around you and show them honour and respect. Be loyal to your friends and treat them kindly. Demonstrates hospitality and generosity and gives without expectation. Makes sacrifices for the good of others and shows compassion when they least deserve or expect it. Show boldness and courage in doing the right thing even when it is not convenient or appreciated. In short, when others see us, they see Jesus.

We lose our ability to love and live fully in Christ when we neglect or reject our part to connect and initiate community with our brothers and sisters. We can never truly feel like we belong and are welcome unless we make a genuine commitment to develop and mature in Christ together. Again, a healthy community cannot be achieved through our own efforts, but rather through the Spirit, who bestows upon us the gifts of grace to do all things in Christ.