In the past three years, I’ve moved six times. I’ve been in four distinct locales. And I’m getting set to move again in the near future. You’d better believe I know that life can get lonely. However, I’ve also lived in a house with six other guys and had the same outcome. It took me some time, but I came to the conclusion that life isn’t about memories or events. It’s about shared experiences. It’s about people. Life is about those surrounding us.

Community was the first church

People of all walks of life speak of a desire for community and when we look at the definition of community, we find the first church. The last few verses of Acts 2 are where we find the first church. As I read each verse, I see jumping off the page a vision of people, a community, coming together for a common cause (to follow in Jesus’ footsteps) and actually do life. Together. Some have referred to this passage as a form of Communism, and maybe they’re right. But they couldn’t be any farther from the truth as there is no one forcing these people to do anything. Each gave what they had. And freely. I see no coercion here.

Community can be dangerous

Don’t be disillusioned, community isn’t safe. There is danger inherent in sharing your life completely with other people. That is, sharing the deepest, darkest parts of you with other, flawed humans. You will surely hurt them. And they will return the favor. There is gut-wrenching heartache that we all have and will face. But, do you know the flip side? Have you experienced the joy we are bound to encounter?

People are cojourners

When I move, I will have to find more, but right now I have a couple men who I consider my closest counsel. We each get a little lost sometimes, but we know that we are lost together. We are never without hope. We hurt one another, we hurt with one another. But, at the end of the day, life is better because we know that God is showering down His grace through the presence of the other two. Life gets hard, but knowing that I have two other people right next to me on the path is assurance enough. We each have revealed the darkness within ourselves and together helped make it light. Together, we are coming alive, day by day.

Who are the people in your life? Who are the people that you are willing to take the great risk with? Please don’t say “no one”. For your sake, look, pray, act. We all want community, but there is a slight cost. We cannot live life without people. We were never meant to live apart from community and that means rolling up our sleeves. I implore you, find those people today. There is not a minute to lose.