Emily Fridenmaker is a regular contributor at 'for we have rebelled.'
You can find her at A Relentless Embracing of Good.
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It's located in southern West Virginia. If you aren't also from southern WV, you probably have a few unsavory and [mostly] false things that come to your mind when you hear about my dear, sweet home, such as:
- toothless hillbillies
- ignorant rednecks
- racism
- terrible education
- meth labs (I'm only on Breaking Bad season 4...don't you dare spoil it for me)
Now we have our problems, just like any other place. While we may indeed have our fair share of meth labs, let me tell you about one thing that southern West Virginia does exceptionally well: community.
It's difficult to describe home to you if you aren't from a similar place, but I'm going to try, using my own life as an example.
Both sets of my grandparents, and their parents, and their parents, and so on have lived in roughly the same place forever. I lived less than 10 minutes away from both sets of grandparents all of my life (until moving for college). My nearest neighbor was my great grandma, and the next nearest after that was my great aunt. My church had around 50 people in it, and almost all of them were related to at least 1 of about 3 families. So many families have known each other for generations. My elementary school teachers remembered teaching my parents when they were in elementary school. People I don't know have seen me out and asked, 'Are you a Treadway?' or said, 'Boy, you sure look like your mom.' I'm not unique in this either...most of the people I know from home have similar stories.
The unique thing about home is that there is a history among us...there are so many things that we all share that are ingrained in us from the time we're born, and other people just don't understand.
I tell you all this to make one point: we are all for one another.
When Homer had surgery, Mommy went around the road every day to change his bandages.
When my grandparents passed away, there was the biggest collection of rolls, casseroles, brownies, beans, chicken, sandwiches, and salads you'd ever seen.
When a new baby is coming, that mom-to-be likely won't have to buy much because church ladies love to buy blankies and onesies.
When someone's house burns down, everybody knows which bank has the donation account set up, and they give. Or they know about what size those little girls wear, and they know just where they can pick something up for them.
When Daddy was sick, and when he passed away, there was the greatest outpouring of love and prayers I had experienced in my entire life. People weren't only messaging and texting us, they were bringing food, detergent, paper plates, offering to mow the grass, telling funny stories about him at the wake, stopping by to see how we were, and just generally loving on us.
The people in my community consistently and lovingly rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
Ultimately though, this type of community doesn't have to be preceded by generations of knowing one another.
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As Christians (wherever in the world we may be), we have something in common that is much greater than family history, geographical location, or our accents.
We have all been saved, snatched from the brink of death and the depths of sin by the very same Savior. Though we may not realize it, we all share the same story: a history of sin, trumped by an Epic Intervention.
But wait! Not only do we have history in common, we also share a present and a future.
We labor alongside one another in the present, brothers and sisters longing to see the works of our Father widely proclaimed, and hoping to see the lost reconciled.
We look ahead to our future, trusting in His promises and anticipating the city that He builds.
Believers, we have all been adopted into the family of Christ, and are therefore related by blood. God has given us one another to lean on, to help up, to call out, and to work alongside.
There is no greater community than the community that God has called together. May we absolutely wring ourselves out for the good of it.
Romans 12: 9-18
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.
Never be wise in your own sight.
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
I love that you are writing about community. Being in good relationship with God and with others was Christ's theme. Coming by from Emily's blog
ReplyDeleteThe family of God is definitely unique and a privilege that we couldn't have originated on our own. And just like our biological families where we don't choose who our parents or aunts or siblings will be, so it is with God's family. It's not up to us to choose; it's only up to us to love.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this. Community is a blessing.