Living in community with a lot of people is no easy task, and by community I don't mean that I live in a neighbourhood with many people(although I do). I mean that living in a close knit Christian community with a lot of people is not easy. Let me explain a little further...
I live in an apartment that has 6 bedrooms. Within those 6 rooms lives 8 people(currently). Next door to us in another apartment with 4 bedrooms and 7 people. All that seperates the two places is a hallway with 2 bathrooms(one for girls, one for guys). Essentially, I live with 14 other people and like I said, this is no easy task.
We have some typical issues - people not cleaning up after themselves, not doing their assigned chores, everyone getting so caught up in what they are doing that they aren't thinking about anyone else, selfishness really(and I include myself in this assessment). Then last night, after I had a little complaint fest to some friends about these matters(when I had just picked up after some folks), I started to think....why can't I love my brothers and sisters, instead of getting all worked up about things? Why can't I serve them instead of complaining? This has been a topic of conversation and frustration amongst some of my friends and I've been trying to think how we can remedy it.
Here is how I think it can be accomplished:
"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose.
Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing. Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father....
In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your lives shine brightly before them."
Philippians 2:1-11,14, 15
Blessings.
2 days ago
2 comments:
Good word sister.
That Koininia...ain't it a b**ch?
Hmm.
Just kidding.
Maybe?
!
Anyways, read this online and thought I'd share:
“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. “
Essential underlying meaning of Koininia= Sharing ( all that is mine=yours…).
In our society we have a very Different Concept of Sharing. Our concept of koininia is if I have $ 100 and you have a need I give you $ 10 and pray others will give as well. Or my compassion might even cause me to give you $ 50 and I keep $ 50. I think most of us would feel pretty good about ourselves if we did that. As good as that might be that is not the unity that Jesus prayed we would have. In Jn 17:11
He prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one. That unity is described in the verse just prior to that in these terms-verse 10 “All that is mine is yours and all that is yours is mine.”
g'day,
I miss living in those apartments, with that many people, and i was only living there for 5 or 6 weeks,
I pray that YHWH will bind you guys closer together, that you will see each others needs and just want to help (in what ever way is needed).
It was great to meet you, even though i left the next day.
Lisa
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