We want to be with people we care about
Wayne from “The Lifestream Blog” has written an excellent article called “Finding Fellowship.”
In this post, Wayne is answering an email from a reader who is struggling with some “church” issues. The reader asked several questions, but most of them originated in Hebrews 10:25.
Here is part of Wayne’s response:
Believers who love each other will get together. That’s what friends and family do. My kids and grandkids get together every week or two. We don’t do it because we have to, because we’re trying to form a family, or any other reason other than we love each other and enjoy being together. Community is like that too. When we have people we care about we will be together. What so many groups miss is that the relationship must take precedence over the meetings. Meetings are a byproduct, not the method or the goal. If we’ll engage caring relationships first and begin to find a common heart together over dinner and evenings together as friends, we will find time to gather together as that network expands. I think it’s backwards to start a meeting first and hope friendships grow out of that. They can, but rarely do. I’ve been to many home groups where people meet together regularly but it is obvious they don’t really care about each other, spend time with each other beyond the meeting, or are truly friends in Christ.
Think about what Wayne said. I do believe it’s possible (though difficult) for friendships to develop from a meeting. However, I think the meeting must be of a form that encourages friendships and interrelation and not of a form that discourages or hinders relationships.
But, primarily, think about the main message that Wayne is trying to get across: If we care about people, we will want to spend time with them. If we love people and are concerned about them, we will want to meet with them. No one will have to force us or coerce us to meet together.
Pretty straightforward… and very true.