DAy 19 Cultivating community

From Rick Warren Purpose Driven Life page 151
This will be my 5th round of reading thru this book.
It’s part of my public LENTEN journey
Feel free to comment, question, add- this is, as the say at Planet Fitness, a NO JUDGEMENT ZONE.


Day 19
Chapter Title; Cultivating community
Point to Ponder; Community requires commitment
Question to consider; How can I help cultivate today the characteristics of real community in my
small group and my church.

Rick writes, Community requires commitment. He gives examples of what it takes to develop a God centered community ; cultivating community takes honesty
Cultivating community take humility, cultivating community takes courtesy; cultivating community takes confidentiality; cultivating community takes frequency
He writes on page 147 “real fellowship, whether in a marriage, a friendship or your church depends on frankness.” He continues, “not rudeness or thoughtless words”
I think many of us have all evolved into guarded beings, protecting ourselves from the onslaught of thoughtlessness that occurs in our world.
Those of us who have drawn a circle of protection around ourselves risk missing out on the presence of God alive in people we may not like or agree with.
I can help cultivate characteristics of real community in my circle of friends and associates by working to develop more humility, thinking of my self less, being courteous, respecting the differences and accepting differences put forth by people I come in contact with. I don’t see the confidentiality part happening at all. People are so very ready to gossip and spread
half truths- knowledge about sad things that happen in peoples lives is seen as power over the person,
so confidentiality is left for a very few chosen people – and private conversations with God.
I like what Rick writes on page 151 “ … make a group that shares the characteristics of biblical fellowship// authenticity, mutuality, sympathy, mercy, honesty, humility, courtesy, confidentiality and frequency” Frequency means make the group a priority. I’m going to work hard to make “ my peeps” a priority!