Cultivating Community – from The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren
"You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy it's resutls only if you do the hard work of getting along with eachother, treating eachother with dignity and honor"
James 3:18 (Msg)
In his wonderful book, Pastor Warren calls us to reflect on and create true community.
*Community requires commitment.
It takes both God’s power and our effort to produce a loving Christian community.
*Cultivating community takes honesty.
You have to care enough to lovingly speak the truth.
*Cultivating community takes humility.
Pride builds walls between people; humility builds bridges. Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.
*Cultivating community takes courtesy.
Courtesy is respecting our differences, being consideration of each other’s feelings, and being patient with people who irritate us.
*Cultivating community takes confidentially.
People can only be open and share their hurts and needs in a safe environment of acceptance and trust.
Ideas and Resources
Just A Note
Have you taken time lately to thank the special people in your life for being part of yours? It’s never too late to start! Why not make it a habit this year to send personal notes? You don’t have to say much. Keep it short, keep it sincere, and keep it personal. Needs some ideas to get your going? You could mention:
- A particular gift or talent they have and how you appreciate it
- A positive comment you heard about them
- Something specific they did that touched you
- A Scripture that reminds you of them
You could send your notes by email (it’s better than not sending them at all), but wouldn’t it be more special to get an actual card in the mail? Either way, take a moment and send a note or two. It’s a small thing that could make a big difference to the one who receives it.
Idea presented in the January 2006 Women of Faith Newsletter
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