No, I am not just going to be talking about Lars' need for organization and order at Camp Hope. I want to talk about what it means to be a buddy for one another, and the importance of interdependence.
"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach, if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."-Romans 12: 4-7
Many humans, including myself, have a pretty intense independent streak. Personally, I hate appearing weak in any way. I want to be seen as a strong, independent woman. However, it is a mistake of mine and of others to view interdependence as weakness. In reality, interdependence shows an allowance of trust, and in the end, that will make you stronger, because you will make up a unified. It is a strength to be able to allow yourself to lean on another person, because it has the potential to backfire. Sin causes conflict, dishonesty, distrust, malice, and pain in relationships. It only takes one seed to build up weeds that could choke a healthy relationship. That is the weakness of humans. When we are letting that one seed consume our lives and effect our purpose, we are losing sight of fellowship and the reason God has blessed us with interdependence.
The Bible is filled with pairs, especially in the New Testament when it comes to people spreading the church. How many times did we hear about Peter, James, and John kicking it together? My Bible class is going through the book of Acts, and I am just blown away by how many times people are in pairs. Paul and Barnabas go off as Missionaries to Cyprus. Peter and John traveling together to help start the church by performing miracles. They were accountability partners. The relationship between the disciples and deacons was also very interdependent. The disciples found it hard to help serve everyone and their God when the church started rapidly growing. They allowed themselves to be humbled, and appointed deacons for help.
The only person who could truly make an impact by himself without depending on others was Jesus Christ. Even He though, chose to have 12 companions to help him through his mission field. Jesus was, is, and ever will be the most powerful man to have lived, but still relied on his friends for support during his hardest times. That is something that we should model. No one is above help and support. No one is alone. No one should have the power to judge and reject another group, especially if that group has the same goal.
In closing, a prayer: Dear Lord, I am weak here by myself. My heart turns to sin and is filled with pride. Please give me the strength to fully rely on my faculty for help. Let us all rely on each other and stand as unified body through you and for you. Amen.
In other news, I am participating in a dodgeball tournament today at school. I am very nervous, but excited to be playing in it. My team is definitely the underdog. We are the youngest, and I am the only team with a female as the teacher representative. I pray that we all have fun though! In the end, that is all that really matters!
No comments:
Post a Comment