Community, a real possibility?
Community, a real possibility?
Acts 2:44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.
In a discussion today there were comments about the possibilty of a community where people really share and live in true giving with each other. I have some thoughts I didn’t get to share. We have had a similar converstaion, I believe, but let’s talk again.
I am of the mind that in American culture we are independent minded, more than self centered. We can’t wait for our children to reach milestones then to get old enough to move out and be “on their own”. If they have to move back in later, they are losers. Then when our family members get old we ship them off to nursing homes, for someone else to handle. It seems to me, herein is the problem we have with communal living. We don’t spend time sharing and growing with those who are our own flesh and blood, how can we extend in an even greater way to those who are not? I want to. Not sure if I live this, probably more no than yes. Any thoughts?
Please note, I use “we” in a very general sense and haven’t really hashed this out. Just some thoughts.
June 25th, 2006 at 8:15 pm
Wow. I think you are spot on… “we” can’t wait for the next milestone. If we can’t take care of our families (flesh and blood) then how can we take care of our commumity?
June 25th, 2006 at 9:38 pm
I totally agree with what your saying. I will add that in my small relm of experience it is not the physical needs that are being neglected but the spiritual.
June 26th, 2006 at 7:48 am
i’ve never even considered the possibility that people at the b aren’t caring for their own families. is this really happening? if so, i agree that we need to address this. if this is just a societal problem, i don’t see it standing in the way of talking about and *gasp* even taking a next step.
June 26th, 2006 at 8:44 am
Most people in our culture see other people (even family, unfortunately) as potential liabilities. I don’t think this is from infirmity (many people will stop being selfish when someone is in despirate crisis), but rather from a need to be happy. Any relationship where “we” don’t get more out of it than we put in, we judge as a negative on “our” lifes and therefore a threat to “our” happiness.
June 27th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
Hey sweets: Knowing me….I would take in homeless people if my hubby would allow it. Some people are naturally caring and nurturing…some feel “put out”.
June 28th, 2006 at 6:20 am
I’m thinking that the account in Acts of how the early Jesus People were living is an overall instruction on the attitude we are to have. Tending to one another’s needs without reguard to our own inconvience, hospitable, sharing, caring, basically laying down our own agendas for the good of another. I think it starts with those the Lord has placed in our lives (family, neighbors, coworkers) and flows out from there. I’ve seen people who are wonderful, giving “spiritual” people when they are out there in the community, but when they get home, they treat their families like crap or neglect them because they are “serving the Lord”. So it takes effort and sacrifice on all fronts.
As far as culture, I think it is a worldwide, human nature problem. Every culture has their own flavor of self service. In talking to my friend who just returned from Africa, it seems that mankind is in deep doo-doo the world around.
But once again, change starts with me.