Sushi at the Edge of Comfort

Maybe you can relate? I really like this recent article in Relevant Magazine. (OK I’m biased towards anything that underscores the importance of community and friendship. I simply see too much loneliness and,often, too little hospitality– too little relationship.) The Body of Christ – even as a gathered community – can, at times, be one of the loneliest points on the planet. And, this should not be so. Anyway, enjoy the following excerpt. It’s not profound but it is certainly worth the read. ( If you want to check out the entire article, click here.)

Living in community awakens new desires and needs within us that we never knew existed. I never knew that I needed to coexist with others until I made an effort to choose community. I never knew I had a desire to live life alongside others until I forced myself to get out of the house and roll the dice. The choice has to start with us, no matter how lonely or isolated we feel. We choose community and then the beautiful thing is that, in turn, community chooses us. It’s a risky bite of something strange that could lead to a great reward with every attempt.

Sharing life with others also takes us to the very edge of our comfort zones and then lovingly pulls us over that edge time and time again. And so we begin to let our guard down in the foyer as we talk about life with people we’ve just met. We begin to call our friends when we need a ride to the airport without feeling like we’re an inconvenience. We show up for board game night, even though we feel like a deer in headlights when we have to read anything aloud or act anything out. Because there’s something healing and gravitational about sharing space with others, even if the trek is a bit clumsy.

God Bless.