It is not good for “man” to be alone

By Stuart Smith

When God Created Adam and Eve, they were made to reflect the image of God individually, and together, they made a community that reflects the Trinity. This origin would come to represent the family of God. The goal of this community was to create a family that loves, worships, works, plays, and communes with Him and each other forever.

When sin was introduced in Genesis 3, it eroded this communion and led to an unhealthy individualism. Unhealthy individualism prioritizes self over others. Adam separated himself from Eve and blamed her for his failure to obey God’s commandment, saying, “It was the woman You gave me; she tempted me to eat,” (v. 12). From that moment on, God began the work of restoring His family which has been recorded all throughout Scripture.

Jesus brings people together. In John 17:20-26, He expresses His vision for His Kingdom: “…I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one…” (v. 23). This unity amid diversity is evident among His disciples, particularly the unity between Simon, a zealot advocating for his nation, and Matthew, a tax collector for Rome. Outside of Jesus’ community, they might have gone to great lengths to harm one another. Jesus’ master plan to overcome individualism is through humility and forgiveness. Both Simon and Matthew prioritized Jesus’ new community over individualism by submitting to Jesus’ kingdom over their own.

Matthew 22:30 Jesus answers the question regarding God’s greatest commandment: “To love God…, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself.” This is the image of God’s community, to set a neighbor’s needs equal to your own. This is a picture of the Church.

The purpose of the Church is to bring diverse people from all backgrounds together. In Church, we learn to care for each other and balance our desires and needs within the greater community. Each person showcases their uniqueness while contributing to the community’s wholeness. It can be a messy endeavor, but this counterculture love for one another is a gift to the world.

Revelation 7:9 states, “I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing … before the Lamb.” This verse illustrates how all these individuals come together to form God’s new Kingdom community. This diverse community, a kaleidoscope of people, has been part of God’s plan all along: unity among diversity and individuals in the community.

We all want to be loved and cared for, and it can be scary to lay down our desires and needs for the sake of the greater community. But as you do, others lay down their priorities and lift you up from within the community. I want to encourage you to trust God and trust one another.

Here are some questions for you to consider.

• How do you balance individualism with the importance of community?
• What are some ways to demonstrate love and foster community this week?

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