Harry & Andrea

…is a-changin’.

Community was a nebulous thing for me even a few years ago. Something vague to describe the location of my house, or the people at my church, or my work colleagues.

Since then, I’ve experienced a lot of things that have forced me to make that ambiguous definition more personal. More tangible.

Like when Harry and I found ourselves without a working car of our own for about four LONG months. And although we were totally dependent on the kindness and generosity of our friends to get from A to B, we were never without some way to get there. It was humbling for two independent, strong-willed people who prefer to be self-sufficient. But it was probably the first time we started to really understand that word community and how God intended it.

It makes me think of Acts 4:32-35, “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

Or Romans 12:13 “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Community. God’s way of meeting needs. You can try to deny it or run from it, but sooner or later it’s going to catch up with you and you’re going to need it. I’m learning that it is more beautiful to just need it. To receive it and be a participant in it.

Another example that comes to mind is raising support for a trip that we feel God leading us to take and being blown away by God’s provision through His people–money, prayers, encouragement. Our community. Representing 10 states. And at least that many churches. More than we needed to make the trip happen.

And most recently, tonight. Community in every sense of the word and they were strangers.

Harry and I ran out of gas about 6 miles from home tonight. In the past, this has caused a powerful sense of personal failure to Harry. Before Harry could get the car moved off the road, a woman stopped to see if we needed help. She proceeded to help by “pushing” our Isuzu Trooper with Harry. I don’t know her name, but God used her to teach me more about community. Less than 5 minutes after we stopped, a man stopped on the other side of the street with his landscaping gear and ran across the street carrying a gas can, “You guys need some gas?”

So, we just rolled with it. Amazing. God’s provision through community. I mean, we barely had time to be inconvienced by running out of gas because of the kindness of strangers. I barely had time to say, “Why didn’t we get gas before we left the 12 South area?”

So, community. I’m a fan. I just hope that we are able to be that for those around us at least part of the time.