Authentic Community

By Samantha Rodriguez

“And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.”—Hebrews 10:24–25 (CSB)

One of my favorite comedies is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. For those of you who haven’t seen it, I definitely recommend that you do! In short, the movie tells the story of a young boy named Alexander, the third child in a family of four, who feels like he’s stuck in a cycle of misfortune and “bad days.” At midnight on his 12th birthday, he wishes for his family to understand him, and the following day, every member of his family seems to have the same strike of misfortune. Through the numerous hardships they undergo, such as his brother failing his driving test the day of prom and his sister getting sick the day of her play, we see the Cooper family band together despite their heated emotions and allow their love for one another to overcome their frustration. What a beautiful picture of what family should be!

When the Lord created us in His image, He did not create us to live alone. He created us to thrive off of relationships, much like He himself exists in a triune relationship with the Son and the Spirit. Studies show that our brains are wired to connect with other human beings. The evidence lies in our chemistry and biology just as much as it lies in our own spirit and soul. The Lord created us this way purposefully because He knew it would not be worthwhile, easy, or fulfilling to live life alone—especially our lives as Christ-followers. For those very reasons, God created the Church to be a community of believers who act like family. Through the ups and downs of life, we should find strength, love, and belonging in the Church community much like Alexander found in his family.

In addition to a sense of security and acceptance, the Lord intended the Church to be the source of spiritual growth and discipleship in believers. Through the Church, we’re able to discover and embrace our individual spiritual gifts, remain obedient to Christ, perform the good works He has called us to, and allow ourselves to be corrected and encouraged. An African Proverb states it beautifully: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” 

Our Father left us with a mission to grow in our spiritual understanding and spiritual action, and He provided us with the Church as an important tool in accomplishing this mission. Although our imperfection will always prevent the Church from being perfect, our role as the Church is to pursue holiness together, reminding each other of God’s faithfulness, grace, and love—which has become our hope.

DIG: There are some verses from Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 included in this devo, but take time on your own to read those chapters in their entirety. How do the individual gifts and parts of the body work together to form the entire body of Christ? Why do you think God would not give us all the same, equal gifts? 

DISCOVER: If you do not know what spiritual gifts you may have, seek out a spiritually mature mentor who can help you discover those gifts, perhaps through a spiritual gifts test. Remember that you must be saved, and therefore have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, in order to have spiritual gifts from Him. 

DO: Make it a goal today to embrace and use the gifts God has given you, whether it be service, compassion, giving, etc. If you’re not involved in your local church (which is where we will best discover our spiritual giftings), take a step today to get involved and become an active part of the body of Christ.