Proverbs 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.
“No man is an island” is a phrase many of us are familiar with. Every now and then, we hear it said by one person to another. You may have thought or even said it to someone recently. The truth is: No one can live happily alone. We all need other people. You need me and I need you. This is true not only for physical protection, emotional encouragement, spiritual strengthening, and mental/intellectual challenges like making tough choices or close judgment calls, but in other ways as well. The Lord made us to live with others. Frankly, the fun, the life, the deep joy and satisfaction are in a life lived in relationship with others. Today, the Lord is issuing a call to every person to connect with others. The Lord is speaking to every Christian to be part of the spiritual family - not just the big family (the gathering on Sundays), but the small family that meets regularly (we call it a life group). Spiritual isolationism should be over now. Surviving alone is not God’s will. Living joyfully and victoriously with others is God’s desire for each and every one of us. Today, come out of a life of aloneness and make new friends within the spiritual family. Make the move and you will not regret it. If you are not yet part of a life group, we invite you to join one this week. Give it a try for a few weeks or a month. You will experience the many joys and rewards of living in community with others. Make the awkward but courageous move to approach someone you know is leading a life group or is part of life group. If your schedules do not match, ask another person. Keep trying until you find the right one for you. Here at Lighthouse, we have several hundred life groups that meet from Monday to Sunday. Some meet in offices, others in schools. Still others meet in coffee shops, boarding houses, homes, and almost any place where people can come together and share life with each other. Some meet during the day, while others meet at night. Surely, you can find a life group that matches your schedule, age group, personality, interests, etc. So what are you waiting for? Put aside your fears, doubts, or questions, and take the ride. Just do it. Take that wise step, and you will be started on a journey that will thrill you and help you become the person that God wants you to become! God’s abundant blessings to you and your family today! Lathur Badoy