You are not an island

Jesus loves the church. She is his bride, his passion, his people. The church is special.

We are not a club; a bunch of individuals getting together to simply share ideas and news but a community of believers unified by God – who is love (1 John 4:16).

He calls us to live out that love in a world that tells us to please ourselves. This temptation surrounds us 24/7. It is a struggle to keep the God perspective while being told that it is all about us – “Because you’re worth it!”

Our culture loves individualism. We build higher fences and block each other out from the real stuff in our lives. This isolation is not what God wants for us. In fact it has birthed an epidemic of loneliness in our society because, it seems, no one cares.

John says “… we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers … Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” 1 John 3:16, 18.

Islands cannot serve islands. We need to be proudly counter-cultural, stand up and live as a community, sharing our lives with our brothers and sisters. It means being honest and committed to each other and to the church.

Jesus said “Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No, No’.” Matthew 5:37. Loving means being a person of your word. If you make a date, keep it. If you’re a part of the church, be a part of the church, don’t just sit back and absorb, join in. Help build the community of believers, speak life into someone else, share your life experience.

Let’s be smart cultural rebels. Take what is good but throw out the rubbish. We were not made to be islands but mighty continents, unified by Jesus, under his banner to bring justice, peace and love into this harsh world. What could be better than that?

Emma Watson