Our group is about to celebrate with a birthday cake with four candles on it…
When the group began, my wife and I, along with our closest friends, wanted to start a community group where we all lived within a mile of each other. Needless to say, I unexpectedly run into someone in our community group – or their kid – almost daily, as our lives naturally intersect.
It has been tremendously encouraging to see the growth that has transpired in the lives of our group members over the past four years, especially those whose lives look very different than when we began. But despite deep friendships, the fun we have together, and our increasing commitment to Jesus…the reality is that we are consistently cleaning up relational messes with each other.
IS THE GRASS GREENER?
I think the reality has set in that we are all going to be sinners until we die (1 John 1:8-10). I know that sounds like a trite statement, but we sometimes think the grass is greener with some other person or some other group. Even our most healthy groups will still be full of sinners that intentionally (or unintentionally) wound or hurt others in the group. It’s just a reality while we are still here on this earth. The question is, will you be a group marked by Colossians 3:13, which says to “bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone; forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Think about the implications: “bear with each other”. That’s the secret sauce. You WILL rub and have friction with anyone you do life with, but the question is: are you in it for the long-haul with them? Bear with each other is a command, and every time we aspire to do just that, we reflect our Savior’s image and His Lordship in our lives.