The American Veterinary Medical Association, The American Motorcyclist Association, Illinois State Veterinary Medical Association, LA Fitness and several Facebook interest groups. These are just a few of the organizations or associations that I belong to. Groups of like-minded individuals sharing a common experience. Helping each other to grow in that experience. We share information to educate, we organize opportunities to interact and we encourage one another. These are all great reasons to belong to these type of groups but I contend that these are not the main reasons we belong.
We belong because…well…we want to belong. We ALL want to feel like we are part of something greater. We crave human interaction. A common cause. A feeling of support where there is caring among its members. Even if that caring occurs for a brief moment. If this were not true you would not see young children joining gangs. It is partially for financial gain and power but the initial attraction, I believe, is for a sense of being part of something larger and for its feeling of protection and family.
In the movie, “Lord of the Flies”, young English boys were shipwrecked on an isolated island and the rules that applied to their former social structure disappeared. As a result, a new order had to be formed. And probably the greatest driver for the group to accept that new order was the threat of exclusion from the group. Humiliation and isolation were the result of not accepting what became the established hierarchy and leadership. We are made to belong to a community. The question is, which community do you pledge your soul to?
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians today he proposes that the ultimate community is that community in which Christ is at its center. The capstone or cornerstone. The foundation. Before Christ, the Jews were God’s chosen people. The Gentiles, the uncircumcised, were on the outside looking in. Delineation of being part of THE group was circumcision and the strict following of the 613 laws in the code of Moses. Notice that at least one of these precepts excluded women. A very narrow club to be sure. But Christ came to expand the membership requirements. Or, actually, narrow them. Now there is only one requirement. Follow the way of the cross. Allow Christ to be the president of this club.
Now that I am retired from veterinary medicine I have let my membership in veterinary organizations lapse. I am sure that one day by ability to ride motorcycles will diminish and the lure of motorcycle-related groups will fade. Leaders of groups will come and go. Many of you remember the video rental chain, Blockbuster. There was one on every corner it seemed. Or Pan American Airlines. The company that invented international travel. Or Krispy Kreme Donuts. Still around, but not to the degree they once were. In Chicago, Marshall Field’s Department Store was an institution for generations. No longer there. Companies come and go. Organizations come and go. People come and go.
But as Christians our community, our leader, has a bit of a different timeline. Eternity. Paul tells us how our community was built by the apostles with Christ at its center. This community is not a building, not a religious order, not a pastor. It is a network of PEOPLE supporting PEOPLE with no less than God at its helm. No longer Jew or Greek. No longer male or female. No longer circumcised or uncircumcised. No longer on the outside looking in.
In the play/movie “Godspell” there is a song called “Beautiful City“. The refrain is:
We can build
A beautiful city
Yes we can
Oh yes we can
We can build
A beautiful city
Call it out
And call it the city of man
And one of the verses:
We don’t need alabaster
We don’t need chrome
We’ve got our special plaster
Take my hand
I’ll take you home!
We see nations rise
In each other’s eyes!
Let us build our beautiful city one brick (one person) at a time. A city that will last through eternity. And call it A City of Man. With the ultimate general contractor. Christ the Lord.
