Community Strong

 Day 32:  Exodus 35:4-38:31

While I was preparing to write, there was a request from a friend of mine in Texas who posted about a 78 year old woman in his town who was without heat due to a gas leak.  He asked his community if they had any heaters they could donate to the woman.  Literally within minutes of the request, he had enough heaters to keep the woman warm.  

I don't think when Moses told the Israelite community that anyone who is willing, bring to the Lord an offering to construct the tabernacle, he had any idea how fast and how much the community would supply the materials for the construction.  It was so fast and so much that Moses had to tell the community to stop donating.  Exodus 35:4-9; 36:2-7 

Community works well when "unity" is the foundation. When tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, fires or some other disaster devastates a town, the community reaches further than the local town, it stretches across the nation and many times, around the world.  People want to help others; especially when someone has experienced a loss of some kind.  

The Christian community is to be a leader in generosity, love and a willingness to go many miles with someone who is down and out or struggling with addiction or feeling the sting of loneliness or helping families who have lost everything.  The Apostle Paul nailed it when he said, "You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand." Galatians 6:2

As the Christian community launched their starter "church," they quickly understood that community was the only way they could survive the brutality of a government that didn't agree with their faith choice and would need each other to get through the tough stuff.  Acts 2:44-46 says that the "Lord’s followers often met together, and they shared everything they had. They would sell their property and possessions and give the money to whoever needed it. Day after day they met together in the temple. They broke bread together in different homes and shared their food happily and freely."

 

Unity within the community is only as strong as the weakest link.  The strength of a community is dependent upon how long the weakest can hold on and work in harmony and be "all in" to ensuring the safety, health, care, love and welfare of the community.  King David said, "How good and pleasant it it when brother and sister live together in unity." Psalm 133:1

 

The generosity of communities are noble and inspiring.  However, the most inspiring communities are  those who act like Jesus in real time by finding solutions for the homeless, rather than giving them a few dollars or taking the time to visit the seniors of our communities who have no one to talk to or eat with or helping communities fight crime by teaching moral values and spiritual conduct and showing them how to love each other without prejudice.  May each of our communities grow into the love of Christ and act out our love daily.   

 

Remember, Be God Controlled!