“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” – Coretta Scott King. On today’s post I will be talking about the importance of community. When people think of the word community they tend to think of a neighborhood or a collective group of people. Although that’s not incorrect, community can also be a way of life.
Why is community important? Community is a “feeling of fellowship with others; a sharing of common attitudes, interests, and goals.” Have you ever wondered about the changes you could make in your own neighborhood or even in areas that are deprived by not only having the same goal in mind but also the will to accomplish that goal with others?
Community is not just one person and building relationships cannot only happen with one person. There’s a saying from an African proverb that if you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together.” It takes togetherness to accomplish community goals and overcome obstacles. Connecting with others can help to develop the relationships we need to gain the resources necessary in order to conquer an objective.
Communities can exist with an internal or external purpose. Internal community serves as a purpose of supporting one another, to learn from each other, and to also feel a sense of belonging. External communities exist to carry out a complex goal . Community is a median to the experiences we have as humans. As a community there is a sense of belonging and a support system. Ever heard of the saying, “it takes a village to raise a child.” That was more than a saying, it was and still is for many a reality of the support system that is needed from those trusted around you.
The support system you have may not always be family. It could be those living a few doors down, friends, co-workers, church members, or acquaintances. Whomever you rely on that you consider part of your trusted community, what are some ways that you can share relatedness and promote potential community growth for others?
Community is God’s desire for us. He doesn’t want us to be alone or do things alone. Yes, I know some people say that being alone and doing things on my own offers peace, but does it? Does it give you peace when you are facing a situation and really need help but because you have chosen to be in a silo it’s awkward or maybe embarrassing to ask for help when you have no other choice and really need it. Don’t let it get that far. There is a difference in knowing when to embrace your peace but also knowing the importance of needing others.
In Romans 12:4-5 in the amplified it says that ” for just as in one physical body we have many parts, and these parts do not all have the same function or special use, so we, who are many, are nevertheless just one body in Christ, and individually we are parts one of another mutually dependent on each other.” Wow, that was a lot and relevant because we all have something (a resource, a talent, an encouraging word) that we can provide to help someone else or many others. We were created to depend on one another and to not consider it a burden. Consider it a blessing that God has equipped you so that you can keep on giving. Give in your community. I like to call that the domino effect. God bless you and you bless others and the blessings keep going around. That can also be called sowing and reaping. 🙂
Noticeably, community is important to me, as the Founder of Faith, Family, and Community I believe that fellowship, communication, and togetherness is a bridge for mighty changes. As a community, it can provide a sense of belongingness and is also a sign of mature faith. Everyone is in a different stage of their faith. As a believer of Christ, as a community of people, this allows us to pull the weak up, encourage the fallen, and to pray for the broken-hearted. God’s desire is for us to flourish together, “when the righteous flourish, the people rejoice.” -Proverbs 29:2.
Helen Keller once said, “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.” Here are some ways that you can get started with community building.
- Start a conversation. In order to make anything happen, first talk about it. Create ways to converse, engage, and share.
- Serve on committees that focus on a specific problem.
- Take leadership roles when engaging in community partnership.
- Volunteer.
- Get involved in the planning process from the start with goal making to finish in executions.
As you notice, all these tips are actionable. Take action in your life and for community and if you are being affected by a problem, get involved and help drive a change.
Here are some additional national resources:
Until next time my friends…..
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Thank you for your comment. My continued hope is that there is always something for everyone.