Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; as the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. PSALM 133:1-3 (KJV)
Community is born in the heart. It is an inward posture that creates an external environment. Community cannot be mandated or legislated. It does not occur simply because we’ve known each other for ions or because we live in close proximity. Community is a heart condition found in those who practice the art of surrender and acceptance.
The arrogant root of independence must be severed before the seeds of community can sprout. Independence is an illegitimate offspring fathered by the Lie. It boasts rugged individualism and revels in autonomy; but it masks a secret shame – it lives in constant comparison with others. Independence appears headstrong and self-assured one moment, and in the next will cause a man to cower in fear, retreating behind his own private walls. This is independence. In a dictionary it is synonymous with separateness, which helps us understand why it is the enemy of community.
What’s the groundwork for community? It starts with individuals willing to build a foundation of inner dialogue with Christ. Recognizing Christ as our life begins the practice of deferring to His Lordship. As we take the posture of decreasing so that He might increase we see the lust that feeds the illusion of a separate self begin to wane. At the heart of community is the willingness to be no one of significance so Christ can emerge as our true expression.
Community allows for individuality by appreciating His style in each other. We do not force conformity or judge dissimilarities. We live in the humility of equality. The arm is not more important than the leg; we need each other. The varied gifts are for the body, not the individual.
The bionomics of community requires maturity. Developing peaceful relationships doesn’t occur without struggle. We writhe out of the restrictive cocoon and immaturity of independence before we find the freedom of community. This is an opposing mindset with the world. Independence tells us that “it” is the road to freedom when in actuality it is our bondage. Discipline, accountability, relationship and community generate thrust so we can break the earthly pull that keeps us isolated in our supposed independence.
Our hearts are etched and imprinted with the need for community. The desire for fellowship is innate. Our relationship with God is central, but if that were enough Jesus would not have prayed for our unity with one another in the breath that He prayed for our unity with Him and with the Father. We need intimacy with God in our hearts but we also need God with skin on. We need tangibility. We need a hug, a touch, a face to see and a hand to hold. We need someone who will cry with us and who will laugh with us and who will remind us to run back into the arms of the Father. We have everything it takes to thrive in community. We are made to let go, to release, to travel light, to seek, to submit to one to another, and to trust Christ as our life. As we seek first His kingdom and His way we discover that community is written in our DNA.