In the heart of every human being lies the desire to belong. It is primordial, primeval, some might say it is linked somewhere in our deep memory and our need for survival. But it is a fact; as human beings we were made for ‘community’. To be the outcast is to be sentenced to death. To be shunned is the worst form of punishment. Solitary confinement is used to break prisoners, and it does. Given enough time alone it can drive a person insane.
God’s own words at the creation of all things states it simply; ‘It is not good for a person to be alone’.
In our modern world, when we are deemed unworthy (often because of our race, or appearance, or social/financial standing or faith/lack of faith) physical gates do not always bar us from the safety of our communities, but there are gates that are closed to us nonetheless.
All of us have known the cruelty of middle school cliques, high school cliques, college cliques, Church cliques. The terrifying power of psychological bullying in being left out. Mean girls. Ruthless boys. Did you make the team, the squad, the court? Do you fit in? How many friends do you have on Facebook? Did you get asked to the dance? Did she say yes when you asked her? Is your picture in the yearbook more than once? Did you get accepted, asked, invited? Are you in, or are you out?
While this is all detailed in the Bible, this is true whether you believe in God or not: Life is meant to be shared; we are supposed to feel “in.” As human beings we are meant to live in community, in relationship with others. People may drive us crazy sometimes, but still we need each other. We may not like the company of some people, but we still need each other. As the song made famous by Three Dog Night back in 1969 says: One is the loneliest number.
Now you might say; ‘But Robert, some of us are just born introverts — we replenish our spirits and souls best in the company of just ourselves and our God.’ True enough, in fact, everyone needs time alone. And I would say regularly, I know I do. But in the same way, everyone needs to be in the company of others as well, and regularly.
I think this is one of the reasons that church is an essential thing in the lives of people. If Covid-19 has shown us anything, it is that living in forced isolation is destructive to our souls in so many ways.
God’s own words at the creation of all things states it simply; ‘It is not good for a person to be alone’.
In our modern world, when we are deemed unworthy (often because of our race, or appearance, or social/financial standing or faith/lack of faith) physical gates do not always bar us from the safety of our communities, but there are gates that are closed to us nonetheless.
All of us have known the cruelty of middle school cliques, high school cliques, college cliques, Church cliques. The terrifying power of psychological bullying in being left out. Mean girls. Ruthless boys. Did you make the team, the squad, the court? Do you fit in? How many friends do you have on Facebook? Did you get asked to the dance? Did she say yes when you asked her? Is your picture in the yearbook more than once? Did you get accepted, asked, invited? Are you in, or are you out?
While this is all detailed in the Bible, this is true whether you believe in God or not: Life is meant to be shared; we are supposed to feel “in.” As human beings we are meant to live in community, in relationship with others. People may drive us crazy sometimes, but still we need each other. We may not like the company of some people, but we still need each other. As the song made famous by Three Dog Night back in 1969 says: One is the loneliest number.
Now you might say; ‘But Robert, some of us are just born introverts — we replenish our spirits and souls best in the company of just ourselves and our God.’ True enough, in fact, everyone needs time alone. And I would say regularly, I know I do. But in the same way, everyone needs to be in the company of others as well, and regularly.
I think this is one of the reasons that church is an essential thing in the lives of people. If Covid-19 has shown us anything, it is that living in forced isolation is destructive to our souls in so many ways.
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