The remarkable Martin Luther King, Jr said, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.”
Bearing witness to the negative ramifications of this notion is being played out in our community and world, we continue to suffer through this crisis due to American individualism. Too many people have believed they are immune from this crisis, breaking recommended social protocol, infecting themselves and others. The American Can-Do Spirit can also shoot itself in the foot from time to time.
At the same time, we have also seen the fantastic implications of Dr. King's words lived out by the endless acts of charity and self-sacrifice for community, health, renewal, and an end to this crisis.
Where does the church fit into all of this? Dr. King's words powerfully underscore the role we play in each other’s lives as sojourners in this journey with Jesus. Even though the church has become a commodity in the 21st Century, the church is supposed to be a community of Jesus’ followers, seeking to fulfill his mission and vision for the world together.
“Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be;” That can feel taxing and intimidating.
At the same time, this truth can be empowering and transformational. What a unique and insightful opportunity we have to invest goodness, hope, service, joy, gentleness, hospitality, and love into each other’s lives.
There will be times in your life when you feel as if you don’t need that. You’ve got this. Things are going the way you want. But this is precisely the time that Jesus calls us to care for others. And this is when we find that in enhancing others, I am improving myself.
This crisis has challenged the notion of connectedness for the church. It has been isolating, frustrating, and disheartening. However, we can see through this challenge as a moment to strengthen our bond together.
I know we all are fatigued of online opportunities. Even our poor kids are about to commit to 6-7 hours of sitting in front of a school screen.
But what would happen if we pushed beyond the fatigue and the ease of just not participating, accepting this embolden moment to positively affect each other through the gift of time, presence, and attention?
We are creating outlets for such expressions through Spiritual Formation and Sunday School Classes, Connect Groups (like interest activities), Summer Gatherings, English Conversations, and Missional Projects (Highland Elementary, Raised Garden Beds, Open Air). We hope you will engage these matters. We hope that you will live into your unique expressions of caring for others through phone calls, texts, care packages, and more.
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