got this quote off another blog. interesting and good for us... it is from G.K. Chesterton, whose work I haven't read.
‘The man who lives in a small community lives in a much larger world … The reason is obvious. In a large community we can choose our companions. In a small community our companions are chosen for us.’ Community has been insightfully defined as the place where the person you least want to live with always lives! Responding to this Philip Yancey says: ‘we often surround ourselves with the people we most want to live with, thus forming a club or clique, not a community. Anyone can form a club; it takes grace, shared vision, and hard work to form a community.’ We might also add that it takes a miracle that only God himself can perform. But it is in such a community that disciples are made. To be a community of light from which the light of Christ will emanate we need to be intentional in our relationships: to love the unlovely, forgive the unforgivable, embrace the repulsive, include the awkward, accept the weird. It is in contexts such as this that sinners are transformed into disciples who obey everything King Jesus has commanded.'
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I dig me some Chesterton. You might want to read his book titled Orthodoxy. You would really digg it too- at least i think you would : ) He is known as the "Apostle of Common Sense" You can probabl see that from his quote.
ReplyDeleteI miss you Lew. Ya'll should come out here. Some time in the mountains, praising Jesus in our living room, confounding the idea that a home pastor and a papist can't hang out : )
Peace and blessing to you and yours
you know, i actually have a copy of Orthodoxy. I read about 2/3rds of it. I liked it a LOT... 2/3rds is pretty far for my addled brain to go in any book. no kidding. there's something wrong with me, I think.
ReplyDeleteI miss you John. Your presence always brought the comfort of a fellow struggling pilgrim, drenched in grace.
I think prayerfully now on Lisa and the kids, and let my heart soar in the communion of the saints. We are one in HIM.
Love.
hey lew, what do you think God is saying to the church? post it. and how about those questions? :)
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