Ordinary people on mission together

 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! (Romans 12:16)

I would like to think that 'ordinary people' are easy to get along with - because fame and fortune hasn't corrupted their lifestyle choices. The truth is that ordinary people can be just as difficult to get along with at times. It is harder than we might think to live in harmony with one another. Harmony comes from an old Latin word meaning 'joining' or 'concord'. That 'agreement' or 'concord' between groups of people isn't always all that easy, especially when we form our own set of ideas, have our own desires, and create our own set of 'issues' that have to be dealt with. Yet, all throughout scripture, we are asked to live at peace with each other, finding 'harmony' or 'agreement' within our communities. Trust me on this one, community breeds lots of things that really don't even come close to 'harmony' at times!

Several things have become apparent to me over the years when it comes to living in 'communion' with one another. First, we have to be directed toward the same mission. If we don't have the same mission in mind, we will always be struggling to complete or further our mission over the mission of the others. The choice to be 'on mission' with each other is made a bit easier when Christ is the central part of all of our missions. Second, we have to be willing to lay down our agenda and take up the agenda God presents within that community. That might seem a little harder to grasp for some of us because we 'know' our agenda is a 'good one'. The plans and purposes of the bigger group are harder to grasp. Perhaps this is why God gave us the five-fold ministry within the church - to help us 'mesh' as a community of 'ordinary people' doing 'extraordinary work' on mission with Christ.

Lastly, we have to understand God's idea of 'community'. It is the 'communion' of believers. That means it is safe place of people united in one mission, where each member can share or 'exchange' thoughts and feelings at a much deeper level than with those outside of that community. There is an intimacy established within the group that allows the sharing of those things, in trusting relationships. The spiritual community is one established in trust - first toward God himself, then toward the people he places within our community. The purpose of that community is to allow the growth of those within it. Ordinary people, sharing ordinary problems, finding solutions together, all while Christ remains central in all their work, play, and rest. We all need community - we all need communion. Just sayin!