No Words are Needed

Sometimes, no words are needed and sometimes words are all you need. Community can be both.

It can be a hug with no words, it can be a fun picture text between friends, it can be a shared table at the coffee shop, or a kick in the pants to meet for needed exercise.

It can be a long telephone call filled with encouraging words, it can be a short voxer message with a thinking of you, praying for you message, and it can be a short note card or a long letter sent via snail mail.

It can be the truth of God's Word spoken into your life, prayed over you.

I have found community in all those things, but still every day I have to fight for community. I have to make the effort to respond to the voxer message. I have to get off my lazy butt and write the snail mail cards. I have to say "yes" to meeting for coffee (or much needed exercise). I have to force myself to answer the phone.

I'm not trying to say that it's all about me, but without effort, there is no community. It takes risk of being rejected, risk of being misunderstood, risk of being ignored or hurt.

This pile of cards shows that words are the start of community, strangers becoming pen pals, friends!

Scripture is full of encouraging words on building unity and community and encouraging and edifying one another...  Here are just a few:

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

and all of Philippians 2.

Community Conversation: What is one of your favorite Scriptures on community? When is the last time you sent snail mail?

joining my dear bloggy friend, Jenn with a new link up called No Words Needed.

also linking up with Kaitlyn and the #fmfpartysnailmail community

and because a good note in the mail is just like coffee for your heart, I am joining in with Holley Gerth as she encourages so many with her words!