pour.

Gospel-centered community has a desire to mature in the faith, but also a desire to bring others along for the ride.  Which means we open up our hearts and our lives towards difficult people.

-Matt Chandler-

We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.

-Romans 15:1-7-

It feels very repetitive, but I have some incredible community.  And some hard community.  But, overall, I feel like I have a growing and maturing community around me.  I am so grateful for people who would dare to walk through life with me—when I’m good and when I’m an idiot.  I spend a lot of time being an idiot.  Yet, they walk belong side me when I’m hard to reach and hard to relate to.

I’ve had a lot of conversations about community lately.  In these discussions, I have found myself drawn in new ways to the idea of gospel community.  What did it look like in the scriptures? What are our roles now?  Community, for me, is the most difficult way that Christ asks me to deny myself.  It is hard to leave the comfortable for the uncomfortable, or the “difficult people”.  I find a million reasons to justify finding my niche of people whom I trust…or even people that I have the most in common with.  For me, it is scary.  It is kind of weird.  And I can find a million reasons why it isn’t really the right thing to do.

There is a very repetitive nature seen in groups of people throughout the scriptures.  A very build up/send out cycle of living.  In the old testament the kingdom of Israel is grown by growing up and sending out—new land and new people conquered and enveloped into the fold.  A spread of a nation.  The early church was built the same way.  It is easy for me to read about Paul’s experiences with people like Lydia who pastored the church in Philippi, whom Paul adored.  It is easy to see his love for the Philippians and the community he found there.  But, there were also the Ephesians, and they were a little more difficult.  Uncomfortable.  But he still went.  And welcomed.

I have a friend named Jake.  He didn’t really have a choice to love Daniel and I, he kind of inherited us.  But as our dear friend Courtney felly madly in love with him, we kind of did too.  He is so special and dear to us.  Jake reminds me more of Paul than anyone I know.   He’s ballsy and brave and honest.  He is so generous and so wise.  There is this tender part of him for when you really need it.   No matter where he is, he pours into the lives of others.  He teaches and shepherds and pastors.  He struggles to trust but he fights until he gets there.  He asks the questions that no one dares to ask.  But, Daniel’s favorite part about Jake is that he cares so deeply about the answers.  He wants to know and be known.  He embodies these verses from Romans, taking deep interest in the difficult people. Walking with them, building them up.   He teaches me all the time what it looks like to walk in deep and missional community. 

I want to be more open.  I want to be more obliged to pour in to life with people who are easy to be with as well as the difficult.  To walk with and grow with and live life with.  I want to be more like Jake.  And Paul. And Jesus.  

So, who is it for you?  Who are you pouring your life into?