Community 🧎🏼‍♂️

 Church.

    One thing about church that always stood out to me was the community it formed. Not the sermons, not the worship. Not even the tall, incredible building and its amazing art within (Alright, I admit, that part did stand out to me a little bit). No, the one thing that stood out the most was the community that was formed within.

    The idea that all men and women alike, both rich and poor, successful and unsuccessful, could show up together at the same spot and worship the same values, seems incredible. The very idea that these individuals are gathered together at the same place, at the same time, over and over, is an extraordinary task. Most individuals do not make time for anything close to such tasks, yet for church, they always seem to find a way.

    Worship has been a primal human factor since we began recording history. Every single man in the world has a desire to give thanks to something or someone above them, to show their appreciation for all they have been given. Even the man who has to travel the most challenging path, stops to give thanks to his Creator. For it is his Creator, which allows said man to exist within this realm in the first place. Worship has been around for thousands of years, yet today when I look around- it seems to be diminishing.

    The act of gathering to praise God and give thanks has been slowly dying. Society is no longer concerned with the Creator and all He has given us. We no longer wish to spend our time, in prayer and in song, in order to appreciate the life of which we live. We have become so greedy and obsessed with the material possessions of this world, that the appreciation of it existing in the first place has diminished greatly. The very thought of giving thanks has been completely overturned by the new idea of simply doing as we please. Simply running around, with no rules and no regulations. The idea that we are our own rulers, and that nobody can tell us anything. This concept has lead to more harm than good, in my humble opinion.

    Understanding that we all come from something should be enough to strike fear into the noblest of men. However, we unfortunately no longer seem to follow the same guidelines that which we once adhered to. We as a society have decided to go our own way, creating micro-pockets and friction between all of us. We no longer have a care for our fellow partners lives and what they are up to, instead replacing it with nothing more than our own worth and net worth according to a mediocre scale. The very fabric which once held us together, has been pulled apart. The very social contract which we all held dear, destroyed before our very own eyes. A crime of the worst sorts.

    What held up our society was not necessarily the worship. In fact, I believe that the worship was more of an excuse for the gathering than anything else. The purpose of showing up, because you had to, in order to remain in good standing. The real magic of the entire process, in my humble opinion, is the community that was built along the way. All of a sudden, individuals who live in the same neighbourhood are introduced to one another, breaking down the walls and barriers which once existed outside of the gathering. Those who do not talk nor share common hobbies, united by one common practice in which they are forced to speak. The introduction of people and their lives, in a neutral and willing fashion. Those are the true take-aways of the church and all which it stood for.

    Our society is missing the connection. We are missing the understanding and communication between neighbours. We have all been isolated and forced to live in our own little bubble, creating a dark and terrifying world outside. We no longer speak to our neighbours, we no longer connect with our community. Instead, we live inside a computer, 24/7 clicking buttons and creating data for the void to alter with. The very fabric of our lives, destroyed within a couple years. This is a major problem which will not lead to anything positive nor healthy in the long run. In fact, the odds of complete destruction are higher than ever, without the self-governance of a community to adhere to.

    One thing which I admire the most out of certain religious groups is their devotion to their kind. Their praise and practice of faith, which in turn bonds them together. The ability to work and unite, on all fronts, following a certain command or lifestyle. The ability to put aside the difference, which may seem major, and unite down a common path towards a certain goal. This ability is one which most communities today lack. Every individual is more concerned in their own advancements, than seeing that of their own group. We as a society are only as strong as our weakest link, and therefor must re-learn how to care about one another.

    Community is the key to unlock all of this. Community is the fabric which will keep us all together, when things turn South. Community is the greatest form of parenthood and guidance in this lifetime, and therefor it is crucial we do all that is necessary to keep it moving forward.

Remember, it takes a village to raise a child- not just two parents.

        Glory Be,

                    Amen.