A Little Bit of Good

Here's the truth: the only reason I am a Christian is because of the community that comes with it. Ironically, that's the reason that millions don't want to be. I sympathize. Unfortunately, the Christian community - also know as the Church - has both good and bad. We're reminded of the bad quite often by our culture. But let me share something about the good.

I just finished a two week trip in Ontario. During the time I met with various Christian pastors or what we Jesus people like to call "brothers/sisters in Christ." Every single person I met was previously a stranger to me. My connection with them came through random email inquiries. In two weeks time I met with 9 different people for coffee or lunch or beers and half of them paid for my food/libation. All of them were eager to here about my life's story and were happy to help me in any way they can.

Pause.

Is this common?

Driving home I found myself pondering these experiences. Would I have been able to meet with random strangers under a different fraternity or in a different vocation? Perhaps. But it seems to me that this kind of camaraderie is becoming less and less common. Even I - who grew up in the church - was admittedly surprised by the kinship that I experienced with my sisters and brothers in Christ.

If I've understood anything from reading the Bible and listening to the Christian tradition, it is that human beings were meant to be a family and treat each other as such. It doesn't always happen. But sometimes it does.