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There is a mythical figure created across history and culture, the heroes who do it all by themselves by sheer guts or determination. This Lone Hero can be a gunman in the Wild West like the Lone Ranger. She can be the Joan of Arc of her day and stand against tyranny. Whatever they do, these Lone Heroes tend to be idolized for the strength it takes to stand all alone against the darkness of this world. This lonely hero description sounds exciting to us; at times we even dreamed of being one of these legendary figures in our world today. The hard truth to swallow for most of us is that not only will we not be this "legendary figure of lone strength" but truly we were never born to be anything of the sort.
The wonderful news is that needing others is not the fatal flaw we sometimes make it out to be, rather it is a design of our very souls, formed and crafted by God that we might not live and thrive alone but rather within community. Look to Genesis 2 verse 18 where God tells us this, "18 Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." God creates Eve for this very purpose, that Adam and all of humanity after him might always be in community. This is how we were created by God, and it continues as we find New Life in Jesus Christ. We read it in 1 Cor. 12:14, "14 For the body is not one member, but many." Our identity and our existence is wrapped in community. The Lone Ranger Christian will fall on their face and will struggle, we are promised as much in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, "9 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. 10 For if either of them falls the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up." Let yourself be lifted up!
There is a relief we find when we finally let go of that lone ranger mindset and we grab fully on to the idea of Community in Christ. We belong together, and we are stronger together than we could ever be apart. We have the opportunity today to reach out and grasp the fullness of life that comes when we join Christ and His Church, we each become for each other the friends we needed all along! You are supported and loved, cherished and treasured, strengthened and honored when we Unify in Christ our Lord!
You are loved by your Maker. You are loved by your Neighbor. You are a Friend of Jesus and a friend to me. We may not have met yet, but I know that if you are a Friend of Jesus then you and I are the dearest of friends who can help each other stand up whenever one of us falls! We are part of the Family of God, and we never have to go Lone Ranger again!
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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week's column comes from Pastor Matt Kinley of First Church of Christ, Lock Haven.