As disciples, we are called to live in unity with others

By Dean Collins

When going through hard times, it is easy to fall into a dangerous and potentially fatal trap.
Have you ever been in a situation where you are facing a particularly big challenge and instead of asking for help, you chose to pull away from friends or family? 

We all have different personalities and ways of solving problems. Some people are more outgoing or extroverted. Others prefer to process things more inwardly and have a preference of introversion. Neither is wrong, and both have advantages and disadvantages. We also have a wide range of experiences that might inform how we manage difficulty. We may have been coached early on to seek help from others when dealing with hard things, while others may have been coached to think that whatever you are dealing with you need to hunker down and figure it out. No one is going to help you.

Our family scripts may have a lot to do with whether we take something on by ourselves or allow another into our problem. As I read Proverbs 18:1-9, I think we might find a warning about the dangers of taking things on alone.

Not every situation or problem requires a group to be solved. There are good and bad things that happen in life that are just fine to manage alone. But this passage gives us some insight into what isolation can lead to if it becomes the way we manage life. God did create introverts and extroverts, but he also created both with a need for community.

Community gives the possibility of accountability. Not everyone needs to know everything about your life, but if you notice you are sharing less and less of your life with others, there may be a problem brewing and there is a good chance it is or will be a spiritual problem.

The wise king warns us that when we isolate, we will have an increased desire to pursue what we want even at the loss of sound thinking or judgment. Proverbs doesn’t stop there but rather suggests that once we get in a habit of isolation, we will develop a tendency to not learn or understand other opinions or ways of thinking. Alone with our thoughts, we begin to enjoy listening to our own opinions and sharing them with others with no desire to learn from another.

We should be especially attentive to how our isolation impacts our relationship with God. With our tendency towards sin, it doesn’t take long to leave God out of our thoughts and plans, which quickly spells disaster. As these verses continue, the cycle moves to arrogance and may even lead to fighting with others. Worse, this starts to spread to others, who then start gossiping about what they hear from this babbling fool who thinks he knows everything and can do everything without anyone’s help. Destruction is inevitable.

As I consider this text, I am drawn back to John chapters 13 through 17. Jesus was quite clear on the necessity of abiding in him. He was clear that as his disciples, we are called to live in unity with others. When we isolate it is hard to live in fellowship with other believers who can offer wisdom, prayer, and support because they are also abiding in Christ. We cannot forget the work of the Holy Spirit that Jesus said would guide us in truth and would enable us to live in such a way with others that non-Christians would see Christ in us collectively and that our unity would cause them to believe in Jesus.

Whether we are living in a season of difficulty or a season of flourishing, we must not forget that God calls us to community. Yes, take time alone to pray, rest, think, and enjoy God’s creation. But we must not isolate ourselves from others for long lest we become tempted, discouraged, and even spiritually empty.

Father, thank you for your word that teaches us how to live and warns us how not to live. Thank you that we can be away from others and alone with you. And we thank you that you created us for community. Draw us toward the people we can serve and help, and draw those who can strengthen us toward us as well. Keep us humble so that we know that we are never to walk alone but in community with our brothers and sisters in Christ and with you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Your Time with God’s Word
Proverbs 18:1-9 ESV

Photo by William White on Unsplash
To receive daily posts delivered directly to your inbox, complete the form at the bottom of our home page.