Community

God designed people to live in relationship. There should be a relationship with God himself; and there should be a relationship with other people.

There is a verse that says relationships should enhance the lives of people. Relationships are compared to sharpening a blade. A blade is no good, unless it is sharp. And I learned recently, that different blades, intended for different uses, need to be sharpened differently, at different angles. A blade used in the kitchen of a five star restaurant cannot be sharpened like an ax, used to chop wood. The blades must be treated differently.

So, it is not good to simply bang pieces of metal together. That will damage the blade, and an important tool will be lost. Someone using metal to correctly, and skillfully, apply friction will enhance the blade, and make the tool more valuable.

Friction becomes a valuable commodity.

Friction is usually considered negative interaction in a relationship. Disagreements, arguments, and other negative interactions, can have a positive effect, if those involved respond in that ways that agree with God’s design. Extending patience, and kindness, to those you disagree with, especially if they are not patient, and kind, in return, can have positive effects on everyone involved. Jesus says, “love your enemy.” Love positively affects the giver, and the receiver.

But in this case, friction encompasses all interaction. If love positively affects give, and receiver, in negative interactions, will it not have positive effects in positive interactions?

And God’s family needs to be the foremost example in giving loving, healing communication. Human beings need community. God’s family should show the world how it should be done.