After ripping the wrapping paper off the outside of the box, the sheer joy and excitement could not be veiled as his smile seemed to run from earlobe to earlobe. There were a few shrills of elation and words of gratitude uttered. But the box was next. My son carefully unbarred the top of the coffer and pulled out the packaging inside. This was when the face of excitement turned to confusion.

It was the first new set of LEGO’s my oldest had ever received. He was at the ripe age where LEGO’s were going to be a regular activity of life. But this first experience of opening an unsullied set of miniature building blocks revealed a fatal flaw in my son’s expectations. The realization my son made that day concerning LEGO’s is exactly what so many believe to be true about community: it is something to be found not built. But the truth is…

Community is not something one finds. It is something one helps build.

You see, that day, my son thought he would open that untainted box of LEGO’s and discover a fully operational police car. The reality was the box provided all the elements for a police car to be built. The same is true of people who go “Looking for Community“. Eugene Park writes an excellent article with that title. Far too often we go looking excitedly (like my son with his set of LEGO’s) for community, when in reality we need to go seeking to build it.

Park gives 3 suggestions on how to go about building, rather than looking for community. I really found point #2 helpful in clarifying expectations. What point did you enjoy most? Any you would add? Leave a comment and let me know. Enjoy the article and as always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day!

Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash