Longing for Community
Mar 20, 2023
Longing for Community
This morning, I walked into Panera for my 1st dose of caffeine and sugar. As I walked up to the self-serve drink dispensers, I saw a lady about my age maybe a little younger and her young daughter (3-5). It was cute to watch the little girl convincing her mom that she needed more ice so that she could help push the cup as the ice tumbled down.
The mother told her daughter that she was getting pop even though it was a little early for that.
Knowing a little bit of “parent guilt” myself, I wanted to encourage her to give herself some grace, so laughingly I shared, “some days are like that, especially for a parent.”
She turned around, smiled, and commented, “Especially for a parent going through a divorce.”
Offering condolences, I stepped forward for my turn at a too early Dr. Pepper.
As this mom gathered her straw and lid, she confided, “It has been a difficult 20 months, father had gone through invasive surgeries and daughters experiencing traumatic health problems.
My heart went out to this mom struggling to get by and bearing her heart to a total stranger.
I offered my prayers, smiled, and wished her a good day.
Once I was out in my car, I began thinking of better or more complete responses that I could have given.
I could have invited her to church or told her about our church’s blessing box.
Should I have prayed with her right there in front of the soda fountain?
Perhaps a word of encouragement and promise of prayer was exactly what was needed in that moment.
Our Role in Community
Still, I am struck over and over again by the willingness of hurting people to share their lives with strangers.
As followers of Jesus, we have the opportunity to be present and share hope with those who are hurting.
How can you and I position ourselves to be in the moment with the hurting people that God places in our path?
How may we meet the need for community and compassion that a world without hope needs?
God created us humans for community. One of the consequences of living in a broken and sinful world is that we shy away from community and push ourselves toward isolation.
No matter how much we push ourselves towards isolation, our longing for community will remain.
God has placed you in the path of those you encounter to express His love by being in community.
So, whether you are at Panera, in a checkout line, at your local church, or working your business be the community God has created you to be and offer hope flowing out of the hope Jesus has created in you.
You, your encouragement, and your hope may just be the answer to prayer and community that someone else has been requesting in prayer.
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