During small group, a year or so ago, longer, someone brought up how they knew people that helped one another in some way as an example of community. We were all impressed with it, the obvious sacrifice involved but also the clear mutual blessing. After hearing this, one person in the group said, “So…  how does that happen? Does it just sort of naturally come about?”

I’ve thought about that question dozens of times since. It seems to highlight the most glaring problem we have with “one-anothering” each other. We think opportunities are just going to jump in our laps and it’s going to be natural and easy.

Even in that moment I wanted to jump up and answer: OF COURSE NOT! But like the spineless person I am, I kept quiet, because this is a respected member of our group and no one else seemed to disagree. “Hmm,” was the collective response. “Gee I do wonder how community actually happens.”

I’ll tell you. It happens when we stop saying “yes” to every church event (out of guilt) and start saying yes to the quiet pleas of “Well, I don’t want to be a bother…” It starts by less yelling at our kids because they’re making us late to church and more treating our family like the precious gift they are. (I am super guilty of this one.) It starts with ruthlessly weeding out the distractions and purposefully seeking activities that honor God.

And how it starts it how it happens. Persevere. It’s not easy. It’s very hard. It’s so much easier to pull out our big bag of excuses: small children, long hours at work, “not really good at that”… Of course there’s the fan favorite: “I’m busy”.

I have used all of these excuses. And they all suck. And I’m writing this because today is the tipping point. I’m not going to use those excuses anymore. I am going to MAKE time.

Join me?