Community

My profound thought of the week has been that being a Christian is a community thing. It's impossible and totally crazy to even think that it can be done alone. As I was reminded this week, even God communes within himself (the Trinity). I often find that thoughts aren't new to me. This one was first introduced to me through a book I read in 2003, but it takes a while for my little brain to process things...

"I am very proud to own and share the good and the bad, the sense and the silliness in you, Leonard, my dear brother. I want you to know that your fights and victories are my fights and victories. Your failures are my failures. I hope that you can share the good and the bad in me as well - much more bad than you think, I'm afraid. But I do believe in God, this week anyway, so, I tell you what, since we are brothers, and parts of the same body, I'll hold your unbelief and you can hold my faith." He smiled. "That'll confuse God so much that he'll put up with both of us. I think that's the kind of confusion he likes. Jesus so wanted us to love each other. Tell me, Leonard, do you believe in the hands that are touching yours at the moment?"
"Yes," said Leonard, "they're real people."
"That's right, and these real people are part of Jesus, so when you hold their hands you are actually holding hands with God. Whatever one of us lacks, all of us lack. Whatever one of us owns, all of us share."

~ from The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass, Christian Speaker aged 43 and 3/4