Uncovering our need for Community

I’ve been thinking about the things the Bible says we are to put on and the things we are to take off. Recently, I was thinking about the things we have to take off – like pride, envy, jealousy, lust, covetousness, selfish ambition….One of the things I love about a long term program, is that the community spends all day together so stuff just comes out….and then once it’s out, everyone has to look at it and be part of the solution. It’s everyone’s concern.

I include the attached picture from February 20^th which helps bring the point home. I thought I was simply having an apt. warming dinner with LYC Staff. When they arrived, they informed me that I needed to wear some layers – as it was 19 degrees and we would be outside. I followed the instructions as I like being a good sport – though it was really uncomfortable…I felt like a 2 year old who has so many layers, she can’t move her arms and can’t turn her head. Well, it seemed we were going paintballing. Now for those of you who don’t know me – I’d say that paintballing is an entirely new concept for this native New Yorker. I was able to take responsibility for my welfare in preparing for 19 degree weather and put on the layers – frankly relying on God to give me wisdom as to which layers to wear and praying for Him to help me survive, not break a nail, that type of thing…but when the joke was over – yes, it was a joke – we weren’t going – they just wanted to see me dress up…I needed help taking the layers off as my arms were stiff and I could barely move.

This incident got me thinking about community and how things that happen to us in life make us put on layer upon layer, could be a layer of false humility, a layer of “I’m fine”, “I can do it myself”, “anger”, “shyness”, “defensiveness”, “stonewalling” – and we need each other to see them and then take them off – even though we put them on ourselves. We may not know we have the layers on but we’ll know when they are taken off – there will be freedom to walk and enjoy relationships in new ways…John 11:43-44 says “When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out’. The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them ‘unbind him, and let him go’”. Because our residents live in community, they are able to be a part of this unwrapping in each other’s lives and they begin to trust again which is a key component of their recovery.

The one co-worker that wasn’t laughing as hard as the rest helped me take off layer upon layer. We all need folks who will help us unwrap the reasons why we do what we do and stay engaged in the process.

Lord help us all stay engaged in each other’s process so that we can make your name famous and come out the other side closer to each other – they will know we are Christians by our love – and love, as you know, can be messy.

- Melissa Alcorn, Executive Director - Lydia Center at Grace Plateau