people. loving other people. (and a Grizzly Adams reference)

I think sometimes about disappearing.

Moving away into the mountains and going all Grizzly Adams and Sign of the Beaver.  Little House on the Prairie and back to the land.  You know.

And giant and huge parts of me think that sounds so fabulously incredible and dreamy and fantastic and all things wonderful.

But goodness – we need community.

(And by we I mean more than just my immediate family.  I mean the collective we.  You and me.  Us.  Everyone.  We.)

We were born for community.

We were not made to be lone rangers and just me and Jesus kind of people.

We need other people.

God gave us people.

Joys are multiplied and sorrows are divided when we live in community.

That’s not cheesy greeting card copy – that’s real true life stuff right there.

How much more fun is it to laugh with someone at a good joke or a classic kid quote delivered oh so serious from a six year old mouth?  Why do you think we share these cute stories over dinner and coffee and texts?

How much more comforting is it to share a sorrow with a beloved friend who knows you and empathizes with you?  Why do you think we make that phone call when the bad news comes in and why do we drive to our friend’s house or ask them to come over when the bottom drops out?

People are the path God uses almost always to refine, to encourage, to redeem, to bless, to chisel, to love, to help, to heal, to grow old beside.

Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their labor:

If either of them falls down,

one can help the other up.

But pity anyone who falls

and has no one to help them up.

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

And so when I joke with the kids about buying a yurt and living off the land in Alaska or Timbuktu – they all always add, “Yes.  We can do that.  If all of our friends come with us too.”

And I know these kids have a tangible and genuine grasp on what it means to get and to give as a friend.  I know they have first hand watched and witnessed kindness and community and provision delivered by God directly through the hands of humans who love us.

It’s a piece of God’s lovely care through people and by people that I know that I know that I know that my children believe and have lived.

When people care, they act.  When people love Jesus, they do stuff.

It’s the fruit of love.  Action.