full lives

Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

Romans 12:15

Christians should not solo through life events. We have other friends and family in Christ who share life with us. We are never islands of personal experience. We are to share good times and bad, laughter and tears, celebrations and disappointments, happiness and sorrow.

I am not alone because I have invited others to share life in Jesus with me. And this isn’t just about 90 minutes on Sunday either! It’s an every day joy and duty to live in Christian community. It is truly “life together”. I allow other people full access. And I share with them my full availability. This is what it means to believe, obey, and follow the command that Paul gives here. It is a full willingness to be open… clear in how I live… clear in entering the lives of my brothers and sisters with empathy, love, and respect.

Looking at my week, I am planning my days in many ways around obeying these two polar opposites: rejoicing and weeping. I will support folks in hard circumstances. I will hear their stories, rejoice where God is blessing them, and cry with them in pains. I will attend a funeral at the end of this week both in celebrations of a long life that made deep impact for Christ, and in sorrow for a family who has honestly felt the loss of so much. I will counsel broken relationships, care for needy situations, rejoice in God’s healing, and worship with those grateful to God for His gifts. And others will enter into these sorts of things with me. I share my joys and sorrows knowing I need friends with me in the journey. This is the life that Christians can live… full, powerful, filled with God’s presence because we dare to open our lives together before Him.