In the past week, I have been able to have a zoom meeting with someone in the Southern Hemisphere. We live in a point of history unlike any other. Never before could you so easily communicate with people on the other side of the world. It is quite a remarkable thing. And yet we live in a society that struggles
with loneliness, anxiety, and depression.
It is not surprising at all to go to any social function and see people on their phones. The device you may even be reading this from is not too far from almost everyone’s fingertips. In many ways, we have traded real, in-person relationships for cyber relationships. Technology is not the real problem. The advances we
have can truly aid in building better relationships, but they can not replace face-to-face relationships.
In many ways, this feels like a new issue. No other society has ever had a problem with choosing something else besides being together—yet, that is not true. It may be a different time and setting, but the problem is not new at all.
This was a real problem that the author of Hebrews writes about:
“...not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
-Hebrews 10:25
There is something special that happens when we meet together. There is a Greek word—"allelon"—which appears over 100 times in the New Testament. The word means “one another.” We can not experience “one another” alone! For us to encourage, love, support, and forgive each other we must be in real relationships with other believers.
One of the biggest issues keeping people from meeting together, whether for worship, small groups, meals, or any other get-together, is time. We are too busy. And that may be true at times, but it is amazing how much time I can make for other aspects of my life. I spend a lot of time watching TV, checking out websites, or doing countless other things. If I were to calculate where all my time goes I might just realize I have more time than I think.
As we look at Jesus for our example, we see he was very busy. He was busy with real issues. Yet, he found time for others. Whether it was one person or thousands, he took time to be with others. He saw the importance of the relationships and individuals right in front of him.
We need each other in our walk with Christ. We need encouragement. We need to be able to give and receive love from other believers. We will not be able to live the way God wants us to live if we try to do life alone. We need each other. God gave each of us different gifts and we are to use them together. Let us make spending time with other believers a priority.
Daily Reading: Community in a Digital World
Hebrews 10:25
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