The church is a community that extends beyond borders, languages, cultures, and time. I have had the blessing of getting to know members of the community of believers across the U.S. and from many countries across the world. Whether African or Chinese, Hispanic or Indian, Kazak or Russian, Canadian or Southern, the community in Christ is one.
One thing we all have in common is the desire for relationship—for a deeper sense of community. We long for community with our Creator and with His creation—other people with whom we can relate and share our lives.
Grandmas and college students alike want to know what it truly means to be in relationship with God and one another—what it means to be community, family, and the church to each other.
My Chinese friends bring a new perspective to the concept of family and community. In the Chinese culture and language, you are known by your family name first, then your individual name. Your personal identity is secondary to your place in the family. Your identity depends on your family. Therefore, in Chinese, my name would be Goff Michelle rather than Michelle Goff, and all of us with the name Goff would share the same name and reputation. My dad, mom, sisters and I would all be called “Goff” and then someone might clarify which Goff they wanted to speak with. But it wouldn’t matter with whom they spoke because we would be of one mind, one voice, one spirit. Individualism is not highly regarded as in other cultures you may be more familiar with.
Reminds me of Paul’s reminder in Philippians 2:1-4...
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Is our role in family, community, church, or small group more important than our individual identity and the self-centered priority we often focus on?
Which is more important:
To be right or to be kind?
To understand or be understood?
To listen or to be heard?
To deny self or focus on self?
Today, I encourage you to find community through a small group, women who become like family, with whom you can be authentic, encouraged and accountable. You can remind each other and live out those priorities as the family of Christ, Iron Rose Sisters.
It is my prayer and one of the goals of Iron Rose Sister Ministries, that we might be that community to each other—a church family spanning two languages and two continents. I pray that we may be iron sharpening iron to one another and that we might encourage and inspire each other to be as beautiful as a rose in spite of a few thorns—all in the context of community.
Are you living up to the family name?
#IronRoseSister #smallgroups #family #community