Having now developed the theology of sharing social
space as it relates to community (see Part 1) let us look at the second half of Volf’s
statement - taking responsibility for the other. The question then
becomes in what ways does Scripture encourage us to take responsibility for the
other? It is clear that the answer to this question is found in loving,
practicing humility, speaking the truth, being direct, and carrying each
other’s burdens.
Loving is the root of each of the actions we are exploring - nothing of value in the other areas, or in community at all, can be
done without love being present. Mark 12:28-31 records:
One of the teachers
of the law came and heard them debating.
Noticing that Jesus had given them a
good answer, he asked him,
“Of all the commandments, which is the most
important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus,
“is this: ‘Hear, O
Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your
heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no commandment
greater than these.
In Jesus’ summary of the Mitzvah
love is of central importance in the understanding of how to follow God and how
to interact with each other. If the entire Old Testament can be summarized in
love then approaching life, ministry, and community should be
characterized by love as well. Jesus says as much when he tells his disciples,
“By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
(John 13:35). Each of the other actions involved in taking responsibility for
the other grow out of love.
Paul in Philippians 2:1-11 encourages his readers by
saying:
If you have any
encouragement from being united with Christ,
if any comfort from his love, if
any fellowship with the Spirit,
if any tenderness and compassion, then make my
joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit
and purpose.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in
humility consider others better than yourselves.
Each of you should look not
only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did
not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself
nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human
likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself and became
obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Paul’s encouragement offers another foundational
component to taking responsibility for the other – humility. One is reminded in
these words not to view one’s self as better than others. In a world where
winning is paramount and individual rights are supreme, this action of humility
becomes as important as the core principle of love. One simply cannot love if
they believe themselves to be superior to the other. In community a sense of superiority can become lethal to the relationship(s) as
one quickly slides into believing that they can “save” people and rescue them
from their inferior ways.
Another encouragement from Paul is recorded in Ephesians
4:11-16. Paul encourages his readers to speak the truth to each other:
It was he who gave
some to be apostles, some to be prophets,
some to be evangelists, and some to
be pastors and teachers,
to prepare God’s people for works of service,
so that
the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith
and in
the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,
attaining to the whole
measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no
longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves,
and blown here and there
by every wind of teaching
and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their
deceitful scheming.
Instead, speaking the truth in love,
we will in all things
grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
From him the whole body,
joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
grows and builds itself
up in love, as each part does its work.
In this passage it is interesting to note that unity
is seen as the end product of maturity. Continuing on, Paul explains that
maturity is displayed by speaking the truth to each other in love. While this
encouragement seems on the surface to be an easy task, upon close examination
one begins to see that it is not in difficult situations. Speaking the truth
in difficult situations can be a challenge. Often in difficult situations it is
far easier to not say something for fear of making the matter worse. Another
complication to speaking the truth is starting a conversation at all. Many
people, myself included, would rather avoid tough issues than begin a dialogue.
Thus, speaking the truth becomes a challenge.
In addition, speaking the truth with love is a
challenge in difficult situations. Particularly when the discussion becomes
heated, many have a tendency to use the truth as a weapon, seeking not to
restore but to destroy the other or simply to feel a sense of superiority. Many
feel that if it is true that one has the right to speak the truth without
considering if it is done in a loving way or not. Taking responsibility for the
other means that from time to time one will be compelled to enter into difficult
situations and conversations when called upon to speak the truth and with love.
Scripture does not describe how to avoid difficult situations, but encourages
its reader to correct each other in a loving way.
Similar to speaking the truth in love is the act of
being direct. In any difficult situation the human tendency is to avoid the
person with whom there is a conflict and to only speak to those who would be
sympathetic. What humans are loathe to do is go to the person directly and discuss
the matter. However, this is exactly the approach taught by Jesus:
If your brother sins
against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.
If he
listens to you, you have won your brother over.
But if he will not listen, take
one or two others along,
so that every matter may be established by the
testimony of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell it
to the church;
and if he refuses to listen even to the church,
treat him as you
would a pagan or a tax collector (Matt. 18:15-17).
Jesus’ instructions here are possibly the single
weakest practice in the church today. Much could be avoided in the way of
conflict and interpersonal pain if people would simply go to those with whom
they have an issue. Jesus offers here a protocol based in community. First of
all, Christians are to seek to deal with an issue head-on by going to the
person directly and thus avoiding splitting the community with gossip and side
discussions. Second, Christians are to involve the community in their efforts
at resolution and reconciliation. Last, Christians are to continue to remain in
community with those who have offended them. The third step may come as a
surprise because a surface reading of the text seems to lead to a place where
the offending person may be shunned. However, one must ask how Jesus treated
tax-collectors and pagans. Throughout the gospel he fellowships with, visits
the homes of, eats with, and is a friend to both groups of outcasts, even
including former tax-collectors and pagans as his followers. If Jesus is asking
his followers to treat an offending person as he treated tax-collectors and
pagans, it is my understanding that his followers must continue on in
fellowship with those with whom they disagree despite their differences.
In 2 Corinthians 11:28-29, Paul writes: “Besides
everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly
burn?” In this statement the depth with which Paul both enters into community
as well as the dedication he has to carrying the burdens of the other.
Followers of Jesus are called upon to help carry each other’s burdens. This is
a matter of being deeply honest with one another, providing support, and
offering up prayers on each other’s behalf. Carrying each other’s burdens means
entering into the messiness of the lives of the people with whom they are in
community and taking responsibility for those things going on in each other’s
lives.
Conclusion
In a world where the word community is used/misused often, we must consider what a true community is. I'm not sure I can provide a good definition, but rather will provide a couple tests - questions you can ask to find true community in your life:
Who are the people in your world that you goto when the poop hits the propeller?
Who do you run to when your broken, hurting, in need of comfort or support?
Who's got your back no matter what?
I believe that those people are your community and I'm willing to bet your share social space with them as often as you are able.
Who are the people in your life that humbly love you?
Who speaks the truth to you?
Who is direct with you?
Who carries your burdens?
Those are the people who are taking responsibility for you - that, I propose, is your community.
Will the real community please stand up, please stand up, please stand up?
