21 June 2008

Musings from the Big Island

This thing about community, so many people talk about it, yet so few understand this thing. It is like the new catch phrase or buzzword. In a way, where people either want to be taken care of by others or they are trying to find something different from a system that is broken. But is running to or starting another system the answer? Personally, I feel more of a draw within my spirit for family. A more intimate relationship; a thing that I kind of see is that community can still happen without truly connecting with people. It is only a shadow of family, but it does allow for this relationship of openness to have an opportunity of appearing. Some 'Christians' feel this same desire as others, but I wonder if the draw isn't something deeper?
What is it about community that attracts people?... corruption relation to community?... Know thyself

This stuff of character, many attach a list, or better said, a qualification of what is good and bad and then if people aren't more good than bad, there is less value in/about them. Character is important to Papa for sure, but how valuable a person is or the love by which a person is loved has no interrelation with their character. Getting, or having, this piece in a paradigm helps to encourage a performance based mentality, or worse yet, the appearance of good character with no heart change. For a person who has a heart to honestly seek after Jesus and to have a deeper relationship, anything along these lines brings up feelings of guilt and shame, which from my limited understand, is not in His tool belt of transformation.

Some people talk about having no shame in putting a banner or such saying what church or ministry it is working with, even if it is just a group of friends getting together because God put it on their hearts. How they believe it is compromise to do anything other and it shouldn't be done. Balderdash I say!

Big thing inside recently, how we believe we can speak into each other's lives without spending time building relationship with each other.

Sitting, musing on music, the place it has in my life and maybe others. One of the first things that comes to mind is the that how music is language that breaks through language barriers. so much is done in the spiritual realm and emotionally within people and in the atmosphere. People get stories and pictures from music, music is also something that everybody in the world relates. Music has a special place with God too, some much 'spiritual' worship and healing seems to come from within, or is carried by the music. Music seems to be a carrier that blows through defenses, reaches inside, and plants seeds.

The search for purpose is in every one's heart; people long to be valued and important. The desire for recognition, affection, can companionship can be a bigger motivation for any sore of action than even ravenous hunger or insatiable thirst. There must be a deeper root, something ingrained within our DNA or even in our spirit. What might this be? Jesus? Papa? The Breath of life that proceeds from the One true Creator of this universe we live in? Personally, I am quite fond of these three.

The moral to the story is to risk openness and honesty. To risk the hurt and the wounding that might be, but also the risk that might bring depth mutual love and respect for one another. That maybe by taking this risk, we unwittingly open our hearts to a Papa that has been desiring this all along. I miss my dad, my family, and friends. That maybe some how through this process that we learn to support the people we love, not what they do, and in turn are supported for us and not what we do. Through this maybe a person can have a chance to touch on real family, not just community.

Times when people hit it on the head, we can be unable or unwilling to share at that moment due to insecurities.

3 comments:

Awaken_the_Dawn said...

So how do we make the transition from shallow community to family?

Here's a few thoughts of mine, this is something I've been seeking and thinking about for a long time.

1. Depth is achieved through conflict, and

2. Real humility and real love are necessary for conflict to bring healing instead of wounding.

I have experienced community where there is love and humility, and also where there isn't. In both settings there has been the drive to go deep, be real with each other, see God bring unity, see sin brought to the surface and dealt with in each others' lives.

There's a song playing right now that says "I believe love is the answer." Yes! I love you, Jesus.

The first setting was a community I was a part of about six years ago, in Mexico. When issues were brought to the surface, there was not the love and humility to encourage me to pull through them. While there was the push to go deep and see things brought to the surface, it was more "in your face" like, "you have stuff, but you're on your own to work through it--just do this list of spiritual disciplines."

The second setting is my current Jesus family here in Hawaii and also in Portland. I thank God for them, especially a number of individuals who pray for me a lot, and call me up and see how I'm doing when I start hiding in my cave in Paradise Park. None of us are perfect, but there is the yearning to go deep, and the freedom to bring up the junk--and it's done in love and humility, true life involvement, and with Jesus as the center. I'd like to take a second and thank Noelle and Amber especially, two individuals who have been this for me and who I praise God for!

"Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
Profuse are the kisses of an enemy." (Prov 27:6 ESV)

Lord, Daddy, would you teach us to love in a real, demonstrated, sacrificial way. Like you love. Kill our pride and our selfishness. Please. We need you. Help us to receive correction and deal with conflict in a way that brings depth and unity. Help us to love like you do, like your Son does, in a way that causes people who see us to think of you. You are so good!

ExiledAtraidez said...

Thanks a bunch there. That piece was the beginning of thoughts about that very same stuff when I first got to the island. After reading the comment and reflecting upon the conversation that I have had and am having with Papa about this, I would agree with what you said. Thanks for leaving a comment and taking the time to care for this ragamuffin to be honest and real.

Gayle Weather thunder storm said...

can i just say...that im SO happy to be in this wonderful community/family with you guys!! It has been only a few months and the lord has taken through this fire/conflict to show us what it means to truly love one another in Christ. May we continue on this flow of grace and mercy, let it continue on into our past, present and future families.
So blessed by both your words.The Lord restores us.
Im back here in portland, sigh....and long for my sister and brother.sigh.
peace

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