It Takes a Village

I have been watching the Paralympics. So inspiring! The many challenges the athletes face, physically and mentally, that they have overcome to get to where they are is simply amazing and uplifting for all who listen and watch their stories of life so far. All of them, whether they have won a medal or not, did their best and we celebrate their achievement of just competing!

Most of them, when interviewed, thanked their families, their coaches and all the supporting people back at home that have gotten them to where they are now. As one commentator stated –  “It takes a village.”

This comment is so true. The journey of our life contains so many others along the way that have guided us, encouraged us, disciplined us, just been there for us……..

This is so true of our spiritual lives too. We so often don’t do it alone. It takes a village.

Yes, it has to be our free choice to follow the Lord Jesus, but it takes a village of other Christians helping us, guiding us, supporting us – it’s the way God designed it.

Not many are hermits and live life by themselves.

For me it was my grandparents, my parents and my teachers that showed me from their example how to be a Christian. They showed me why it is so important to put God first in your life.

God wants us to grow and most of us do that within a Christian community. The early church in Hebrews were encouraged to meet together, to consider each other and encourage one another.

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25 NRSV

In Romans we are reminded how each of us have a part to play.

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 12:4-5 NRSV

Now if you don’t have a village around you, go find one. If there is nothing local look further afield, even on the internet and get involved as best as you can. The isolation of Covid has taught us this, that we can connect online to many Christian Communities and Churches that will encourage us to live the best Christian life we can.

This is, though second, to finding a group near us so we can be, smell, breathe, touch, a village of people that are trying to live a good Christian life and like the meaning of the phrase “iron sharpens iron”, we find people  that help us to become the best Christians  we can be. 

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What is your experience of “the village”? What do you enjoy about your local Church community?

How have you contributed to the faith journey of others? Is there something more you could do to encourage those in your Church?

What encouragement do you need to find a local community if you don’t currently have one?