Recently, I received a message from a missionary requesting prayer for provision of community and to recognize how she can invest in the people God has brought her way. I thought that this was such a wonderful prayer request as I am realizing more and more the importance of good healthy relationships in the body of Christ within a community that cares for each other. Earlier this week, I have had conversations that have saddened me about the community in Christ. My spiritual mother was admitted to the hospital for the fourth time this year and when I told her that she shouldn’t stress herself, she responded that it is true and that since she has been sick her pastor had not visited her. She also told me she was calling another sister in Christ who did not respond. This pained me to hear because I realized she was hurting as these two individuals did not seem to care. She had not spoken to me about this before, but I knew her heart was breaking, and she was very concerned. Many people get sick and even die of a broken heart.
My aunt, who interestingly lives in the same city in the United States had similar sentiments. Not long ago, she had eye surgery, but no one from her church came to visit. Her husband, who is not a believer commented on the lack of care from the church. She has been an active member of her church for several years. My spiritual mother has attended her church for over 50 years. And in 1973 this 88 year old started a prayer meeting on Tuesday nights. Even when she is ill and cannot attend, others have continued meeting and praying. The hurt is real for these two women as they feel like they have been neglected by their community in Christ.
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27
Notice the word “visit.” The verse didn’t say to give anything to the orphans and widows, but to spend time with them so they will know they are not forgotten. I do understand that the pastor of my spiritual mother’s church may not be able to spend time with every sick member in his congregation. However, this widow wants to feel like he cares and maybe he could have sent someone to visit her instead with a message from him just to make her know he is thinking about her. Often people will give money or some other material possession, which is good, but there are people who would much prefer some quality time, or even a call or message. Unfortunately, I think in our churches, or Christian communities we are so busy doing ministry that we forget to really look at the people around us who we are doing ministry with and take time to spend time with them and really get to know them and understand how they are doing spiritually and emotionally. It can be very lonely in ministry for many as they are seen as workers to get the job done, while their Christian brothers and sisters may miss their longing for true friendships.
Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47
This “breaking of bread” is what many of us may call communion. Communion is not just supposed to be a ritual that we do once a month, or once a week to remember Jesus’ death and resurrection. Communion happens in community, and it is time spent sharing not just bread and wine or grape juice, but also speaking about the Bread of Life, who gives us living water and in turn we should have lives that make people hunger and thirst after Him. This requires us to be poured out wine to those around us. However, to become wine we must be crushed, and this is not an easy process, as the crushing may happen in relationships. Nevertheless, God uses our brokenness to encourage and empathize with others who are afflicted. He positions us to help others even when we are hurting and empowers us through His Spirit to not just focus on the issues of our families and ourselves, but to also assist others even when we have little, and we too are suffering.
To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble. 1 Peter 3:8
Let us not be so busy that we miss the hurting among us. Behind many smiles are a lot of hurt. Let us start getting involved in people’s lives. Let us invest in them and pray that God sends people our way to invest in us also so that we can mature in Christ. Let us imitate Christ as He walked in loving sacrifice not only for those in His close circle, but for all, even those who have been rejected by many.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. Ephesians 5:1-2
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