Breathe AgainSample

Stepping Into Community 

The women who traveled with Jesus knew how to step in with their hearts, not just their feet. There was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, Mary the mother of James, Salome, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee, along with others whose names and stories we’ll never hear. 

These women weren’t just hangers-on, mere Jesus groupies. This was an intimate group of capable women, some of whom had defied social expectations so they could follow, serve, and provide for this itinerant rabbi’s ministry. 

I imagine them sharing their stories as they traveled dusty roads together: where they’d come from, what they’d endured, and how they ached for more. Each conversation a step deeper into connection and community. As night fell I’m sure they smiled and laughed like any group of like-minded women sharing life and wine together. 

They were family, a tribe, a clan. They set out to follow Jesus and stepped into community along the way. Coming together was unplanned; staying together was deliberate. As these women shared life, they chose to step in toward each other with intention, going beyond the mundane and superficial.

As those women looked up at Jesus, beaten and flogged, breathing his last on the cross, their world shattered. They had found life in this man and now he was dying. Despite the suffocating weight of grief and confusion, none of them turned away to cope alone. Instead, they stepped further in, wrapping their arms around each other, holding one another up. 

Three days later they went to the tomb and found it empty, and finding Jesus alive they celebrated together. Stepping into community in our pain provides a ready-made party when it’s time to celebrate. 

I know from personal experience that choosing to be a part of any kind of community can be a scary step of the heart. Made in the image of the God who is community, we will always long for the fullness community brings; but when life is painful and finding community seems the hardest, we only taste a fraction of it if we turn away in self-protection. One thing I’ve learned along the way is that thriving is a team sport.

Do you tend to avoid or pursue community? Why? Where can you find others who are dealing with the same issues as you? Can you reach out to one person or group this week?