Gayle and went to see the movie, Ladder 49, today. It was a good movie - certainly a rooster flick with a touch of schmaltz to make it interesting for the ladies. The movie portrayed the importance and desire that most of us have - to belong. Throughout the movie, we were able to watch this sense of community and belonging unfold before our eyes. The firefighters portrayed in this movie were comrades in arms, dealing with life and death issues when responding to an alarm. These firefighters and their immediate families became one big extended family. The movie reminded me again of the desire we all seem to have - to belong; To be accepted and loved by others; To be cared for and care for others. This "community" understood each other. They celebrated together and cried together. They did life together.
They also were willing to risk their lives to save others. My collar's getting a bit tight right now, and I'm having a hard time swallowing. "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Isn't building community and creating places for people to belong, exactly what we as a body of believers are to be doing? Hanging out together...caring for each other....praying together...reaching out to others...encouraging each other....celebrating with each other...crying with each other...loving each other. Sounds like the book of Acts to me! I often think the world does a better job of providing places to belong and building community, than the church. What's so amazing about this, is that a community of believers has so much more to belong to, and a much greater reason to belong!

What are we waiting for?

DOM