Insecurity & Community
You've read it here before - community is very important to me.
Whether it's family or friends or neighbors, those around us play an important role in our lives and us in theirs. If the last two years have taught us anything I hope and pray that this is a lesson we will grab a hold of and take seriously.
Why is community important?
It's quite literally ingrained in our DNA - we were made for community. God (whose image we are made in) is in community, aka the Trinity. Goodness, what a beautiful display of how the different attributes of beings can create a beautifully balanced community. I won't get into the Trinity because it's still a big mystery to me (which I believe there are certain areas we aren't meant to completely understand until Jesus comes again) but I am going to dive into the importance of community. . . again.
According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, one definition of community (n) is an interacting population of various kinds of individuals (such as species) in a common location. I found this comes closest to how I perceive community. Other definitions included "politics" or "religion" or "race" or "location" - which those can attribute to a community; our lifestyle has most definitely put us in a "location" that contains many people of the same race and similar religions, but most importantly it is the willingness of a group of people to come together in trials and in celebrations. To put aside any differences to help a struggling neighbor; to put aside any expectations of reciprocation when offering assistance with anything. Willingness to give abundantly even when there is not an abundance to give from. Whether time or money or beliefs or. . .whatever could create a reason to say no, a healthy community will step up and fill in the gaps.
Why bring it up again?
Our community has seen its fair share of hardship this past year and the way that people have come together to lift their neighbors and fellow ranchers and farmers has been a miracle to behold.
Another reason I bring it up is because of how my family's current season of life demands that I rely upon my community more than what I normally would. Working nearly an hour from home has created quite a few humbling lessons for me to learn from. Sick kids, hectic schedules, bad weather (#MTWinter) - just a few ways I've had to learn how necessary community is.
If I'm being completely honest and vulnerable, I'll admit that part of the reason I drag my feet to ask for extra help is that I feel as though my chances of offering others the same assistance is significantly limited. Mainly due to living quite a ways from our "communities" but also due to not having as much free time in our current season; looking ahead doesn't show any signs of slowing, so I'm bummed I can't even offer a promise of helping out further down the road.
Community is so much more than an area on a map; it's people. And even though human beings are, well human, and we screw up - the beauty of community is knowing there is support when it's needed. Being able to rely on others to help your kids learn and grow because they won't always take our word for it. Being close to like-minded individuals that have just enough of a different thought process to help you see a new way of doing things.
My prayer is that we can be grateful for all this, but also to know that it is ok - and necessary - to let go of our pride and reach out to that community when we need them. And, maybe most importantly, to not be concerned about what they will expect in return. A heartfelt "Thank You" and the unspoken acknowledgment of stepping up for one another down the road (even if it's you again!) is the beauty of a healthy community.
