Caring Enough to Show It

North America is in an epidemic of loneliness. We have lost the ability to give one another presence. It began before the pandemic, and has only accelerated over the last three years. Individuals have never been so connected to the world around them, yet simultaneously completely isolated.

I connected with an individual this past week who has been a member of a faith community for decades. Yet her family feels shamed and isolated. The community is incredibly ‘busy,’ but she remarked how their actions didn’t line up with their words. Beautiful, spiritual words and events that don’t seem to connect with everyday life.

The world needs Christ’s presence. The Church is the presence of the Kingdom here in the midst of the Fall, an established beachhead for hope.

I used to think that to grow an active relationship with God meant to be incredibly busy. You often see this play out in conventional church communities through children’s events, choirs, youth groups, bible studies, men’s and women’s events, concerts, plays, missions trips, bottle drives, senior’s luncheons. I’m exhausted from reading that list. All of it is good in and of itself, but if it keeps us from being present with one another and our community – is it good?

Counter-intuitively over the past year, we’ve learned to grow is to slow down. To leave space in the calendar for genuine connection. To linger after dinners; to leave space for laughter (and tears); to create space for the Spirit to speak both corporately and personally on how He is moving. We’ve learned to stop and listen to both God and one another. It has created a richness that is unparalleled, because we’ve found God’s family. A deep love for one another and our community that we previously talked about, but now is manifest.

Weekly Practice: Presence

If you have followed Jesus for any length of time, you have likely found yourself trying to pursue God or others through programmatic steps. Sometimes this looks likes pamphlets, or a number of specific questions intended to draw out a spiritual conversation. Have you stopped to wonder why God is so patient with us?

John 4 is one of my favourite passages in Scripture. Jesus waits at a well for a woman for a conversation. He initiates, but allows her to drive the conversation forward. Because of his presence, her life is forever changed – the first evangelist in the New Testament. She sees the Messiah, and can’t help but tell others.

Jesus knew her. Every. Single. Detail. And he loved her.

He loves you the same way. He loves the way you’ve aged. He loves you just the way you are. He didn’t die for a future version of yourself.

That’s the God that calls us to come and learn to be a fisher of men. When he called those first disciples, it wasn’t to impart on them his own 12 step program, but to spend the next few years with Him watching, doing, and learning. He gives us purpose beyond our wildest imaginations. 

In an epidemic of loneliness, the greatest love we can give others is our presence.

Putting down our phones. Laying down our agendas. Learning to be genuinely curious about the incredible ways God has created the individuals around us.

This week, can you give someone else your undivided presence? Invite the Spirit to be present with you as you are present with others. His presence might just surprise you.

No agenda, just a desire to truly know, see, and love others in your life.