Community

Several months ago, I was sitting at a stop sign on a busy street waiting to make a right turn. I looked to the right, and then I looked to the left and was waiting for an opening to merge into the traffic. I saw a car signal to make a right turn so I took my foot off of the brake and began to slowly roll up. At that moment, my daughter screamed with a shriek that scared me into pushing hard on my brake. At this point I was horrified as I saw a woman in front of my car falling off her bike onto the street. I immediately jumped out and checked on the woman. Many cars stopped. I helped her to the side of the road and the paramedics came. Fortunately she had just scraped her leg and arm and was able to ride her bike home. In the process that took about an hour, I got to know her a bit and she gave me her business card so that I could call and check on her the next day.

When I called her the next day, I decided to invite her to coffee and we met. After we were settled with our drinks, she said something shocking to me. She said, "Kim, I just want to thank you for bumping into me with your car. I had lost my sense of community and I felt like no one cared about me in this city. Yesterday, when I was laying on the ground, I saw the concern on the faces of so many people and I saw the effort that all of you made to help me. Now I feel much more content living here in Flagstaff." At that point, I realized that I did not have an accident, but was being set up for a divine appointment. For all of these months, I have thought about this statement that she made to me. Yes, I have moments of loneliness, but in general, I am so connected with people that I am always aware that someone cares.

In Hebrews 10:25 it says, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another..." This verse was written in the Bible not for our punishment but for our protection. God wants us to experience an abundant and rich life and our life was meant to have other people share in it. In the first chapter of Genesis when God was creating all that we see, it says that "God saw that it was good." This phrase is repeated six times and in verse 31 it says, "God saw all that He had made, and it was VERY good." Then in Genesis 2:18, the Lord says, "...It is not good for man to be alone..." I know that this verse is usually used to talk about marriage, but as I reflected on the lonely state of the biker that I met, I think it is more comprehensive.

As I look back on my life, I remember times when I have felt severe loneliness and depression. These were times that I did not feel connected. Since then, I have learned ways to care for myself that cause me to feel the community that God wants for me. I call these my lifelines. One thing I do each week is I have a bible study that meets at my house. This is great because even if I am in a bad mood or feel like isolating, I can't cancel because they are coming to my house. I also schedule in walks, family dinners, prayer groups, work-outs, conversations, mentoring, dates with my husband and church on Sunday to share with the ones that I love. This keeps me healthy, happy, and more productive. Remember, it is a command from God that is good for me. And it is a great pleasure and joy to my soul.

I do not do this only for myself, but I do it for the health and well being of the people that God has placed into my life. People need people. We are created that way. We need God most of all, but we also need each other to share all of the gifts and pleasures God has given to us. We need each other to be encouraged in hard times and to celebrate in good times. If I can place my head on my pillow each night and know that I have blessed at least one person in my day, I am thankful to God that He has used me to communicate His love.

So, please remember this: It is not necessary to wait for a car to bump into you. If you are feeling lonely and disconnected, go to the nearest church, join a bible study or a book club, ask someone you know to go out to coffee. And if you can't do this for yourself at this point, do it for others. You are created as a gift to God and to other people. Share yourself and be a blessing! You will be richly rewarded!!