“That’s right don’t go off on your own; you walk straight on the path He set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live. Now you expect us to live it.”
Psalm 119: 3-4
Life right now is angry. Everywhere we turn there is an opinion that challenges us for an answer. Community is scattered, people are unsure and the world is full of fire.
Then enters our work life. We need to collaborate on a daily basis, with work colleagues, family members and friends to be able to move forward in this season of complexity. There are days that I struggle with collaboration so much. If only everyone did everything my way then the world would be so much simpler (SMILE!)
This rabbit hole theology is when I find myself buried amid of rabbit warren of regret, trying to do the right thing. Trying to have the right answers, trying to be helpful, trying to keep all the plates spinning.
The aftermath of projects gone awry, people’s intentions misunderstood and the understanding of one another’s perspectives.
Like our terrible attempt at homeschooling. My husband and I had very different applications of the assignments that sat before us, for our five-year-old. I thought I was great at collaboration until I had to try and decipher the school’s expectation of English comprehension and what my eight-year-old was supposed to be doing instead of playing Minecraft.
I wrote this in my journal mid-sentence of the homeschooling debacle of 2020;
“I thought I was good at collaboration until recently. I feel tired, I feel let down and I feel disrespected. God help me to find my way through this. To find your way with ease.”
This is the power of common-unity. These spaces where ease allows us to not always be the responsible one and to just let things slide, choosing my battles on what is really important and what is just noise.
Then enters Psalm 119;
“Don’t go off on your own.”
Psalm 119: 3
Life on your own little island, with no one messing with your heart and possessions, might seem like a great idea in this very moment, but the beauty of our relationships is the power of connection and empathy. As we sit and listen to the stories of one another, we find the perspective we have been looking for, amid the rubble.
Relationships are not easy.
Your community can not be found in a quick consumable flat pack.
It takes time, it takes generosity and it takes the humility to allow someone to have a different perspective to you. The greatest relationships that I have observed are the ones who live with abundance and walk with generosity.
Discovering the power of common-unity means that you will not always be in the right, means that you will need to try again, it means that you will need to call, connect and follow through with your commitments.
Belonging is not found in the moments of sameness, it is found in the acceptance of our differences and loving one another fiercely anyway. If we need to change to fit into a group, then it’s probably not the right group for you anyway.
I know at the moment large groups of people seems scary and tense. We were however designed for relationship. You were designed to thrive amid difference, complexity and freedom. We were prescribed to live in a community. Reach out, make a phone call and listen to someone who has a different opinion to yours.
This is a place of growth.
This is the beginning of diversity.
This is our proving ground of trust.
Discussion question for comments section:
Where are you trying to go it alone?
“That’s right, don’t go off on your own; you walk straight on the road he set.”
Psalm 119: 3
This hit me like a ton of bricks. Thank you ??
Thankyou for reading. And I’m writing to myself here.