The Blessing of Needing One Another
By: Laura Bailey
Bible Reading:
“As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children.” - 1 Thessalonians 2:7 NLT
One of my closest friends, Amber, and I send each other memes throughout the workweek, poking fun at each other’s personality quirks. I check almost every extravert box, while she fits neatly (for the most part) into the introvert mold.
We are wildly different: I often struggle to say “no,” and she needs a push to say “yes.” You can never have too many invites on the guest list; in my opinion, she'd rather spend time with a party of one, herself. I invite and seek out change, while my friend finds comfort in consistency. On paper, our friendship doesn’t make sense, except for one, well, two things.
First, we both love the Lord and have a deep affection for theology, doctrine, and diving deep into Scripture to unpack and discuss questions that have answers and those that will never have a black-and-white response. Secondly, we both live by the motto, “I’d rather be reading.” I know you're thinking, “I thought you said you are an extravert?” I am! But I love to read, and more importantly, I love to talk about books with others. See where the extravert side comes in?!
A few years ago, Amber and I were paired together to help at a family friend’s wedding. That day, while passing out cake slices, we bonded over books and theologians. I remember getting in the car and telling my husband that Amber was going to become my new bestie, and he said, “They’ve been going to our church for almost 2 years; you are just now getting to know her?”
That’s the thing about church community: you can spend hours each week with people—exchanging pleasantries, sharing prayer requests, and serving together—without ever really getting to know them. We had done all of those things, but we’d never taken our friendship to the next level. I think we valued each other corporately but hadn’t yet realized how much we needed each other personally.
I think about the ancient church and the demographics of people worshiping together. The congregations that formed after Jesus were made up of followers from all sorts of backgrounds, many of whom were enemies before coming to Christ. I am sure assumptions and prejudices were prevalent and were major hindrances to people developing close friendships. God created humanity for community, not just surface-level associations, but deep, rich friendship and fellowship, but it’s not always easy.
In the opening chapter of Thessalonians, Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, sharing how encouraged he was by their hospitality and mutual love for the gospel. Paul isn’t shy about letting them know he needs them; their steadfastness under persecution, continual prayers, and partnership in the gospel strengthen and equip him to continue in ministry. Paul likens this congregation’s care, and his view of them, to that of a mother and child– a relationship marked by love and mutual affection.
No matter what your disposition is- outgoing, shy, talkative, quiet- we are called to care for the body of believers. Ephesians 4:2 tells us, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” It is a blessing to have a church family that needs us, and we need them too. When we care for each other and develop relationships filled with humility, service, and love, it doesn’t matter our personality, background, or personal preferences; we are united in Christ– we are family.
I am beyond grateful the Lord allowed Amber and me to bond over books and the Bible; she has become one of my most cherished friends. I covet her perspective and her different view of things; sometimes our differences clash, but more often than not, we celebrate them. Embrace the blessing of needing each other; people are a gift from God, so let’s treat them as such.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Is there someone in your church or community you’ve been hesitant to connect with because, on the outside, they are different from you? Let this devotional encourage you to reach out and get to know them as you experience the blessings of the body of believers.
Further Reading:
Ephesians 4
A Prayer for the Gift of Fellow Believers When We Need Encouragement
Join the conversation! Share how today’s devotional encouraged or challenged you in your walk with Christ.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Sarah Mason
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