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Tense truth: We are individually accountable to God for what we have done with the death and resurrection of His Son and with the life He has given us. However, we are completely dependent on a community of relationships, and cannot survive or thrive in isolation. Our community won’t be there when we stand before the Lord, but they must be connected to us until we get there.
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From the genius of David Hayward comes this funny/sad characterization of a lot of people I have known (and one or two I have been).
No coincidence that David posted this on the same day I made this statement: There is not enough of you available to live all your life. You’re a fool to try…
Ever see a sequoia tree? Fantastic piece of God’s creation. An awesome living structure that can reach as high as 300 feet.
Ever see a sequoia tree standing by itself?
Chances are, you won’t. Strange thing, this tree – to be so tall, it has a very shallow root system. If it stood alone, it couldn’t make it; when the wind grew strong, it wouldn’t take it. So the sequoias build a network of root systems and together they flourish, side by side.
You and I were designed to function like the sequoia tree. United we stand; divided we fall. Our “roots” never anchor us deep enough to make it by ourselves. That’s why God placed us in families, in churches, in communities. That’s why He keeps most of us here long after we’re ready to see heaven. We need each other! And to the degree that we are connected with one another, side by side, we can reach for the stars.
Some people choose to live their lives back to back. To these loners, other people are too complicated, too demanding, too inconvenient. Of course, many loners do well enough for a season. But one day the wind will blow a little too hard. The storm will be a little too strong. The pressure will be a little too great. And the loner will reach out for those complicated, demanding, inconvenient people, and most of them won’t be there. After all, they went where they were needed. God help the loner who has discovered he’s lonely! The haunting words of Proverbs 18:1 tell his story: “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire. He rages against all wise judgment.”
Other people live their lives face to face. In YO face! In my face. They live from conflict to conflict, from complaint to complaint. Life for them is a problem to be solved, an issue to be addressed, a wrong to be righted. You never hear from this bird unless something is wrong, but when it is, look out! They’re sure to let you know. Two remarkable things about this character: It’s amazing how much we crave their approval. And it’s baffling how loving (and sometimes godly) they consider themselves to be.
“Two are better than one,” Solomon said (Ecclesiastes 4:9). He was right. For work and for weakness, for warmth and for warfare, the greatest gift God has given us on this planet is one another. And I can’t reach up like I could until I have reached out like I should.
Alone, we can chase an enemy. Side by side, we can rout an army. I can’t live your life for you. I can’t win my battles without you. Side by side, we can do exploits for the glory of God.
Living side by side takes patience, time, and a whole lot of love and encouragement. It takes responsibility and teamwork. Make no mistake about it – networking is a lot of trouble. But it’s worth the trouble. And the benefits are out of this world.
The next time a Christian comes crashing, look carefully for his roots. Who was he connected to? Who was holding on to him? Where were you? And the next time you’re tempted to isolate or assassinate the brother next to you, remember the sequoia. No matter how tall or strong you think you are, you won’t make it by yourself. Yes, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto. What makes you think you’re any different?
“Side by side,” the song says, “we’ll overcome it all. We’ll answer when He calls. And stand with Him in awe, side by side.” So reach out, and hold on, and embrace the challenge of living side by side. You’ll be so amazed how far you can reach.
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