the benefits of doing life together
although many people would probably not guess this about me, i am an introvert. it’s not that i don’t love people, and it’s not that i don’t love spending time with people – i do. it does mean though that refreshing and recharging for me happen as a result of some time by myself.
even though this is the case, i also realize there are some extremely important benefits to spending time with people – doing life together with them. god has been reminding me of these benefits quite a bit lately, so i thought i would share a few of them here on the site.
1) doing life together keeps me accountable. it’s easy when i am by myself a lot, or even just with my family a lot, to get comfortable with being less than i should be. i settle into bad attitudes and habits much more quickly and permanently. when i am around other people though, i am forced out of my comfort and complacency. i cannot take these relationships or my interaction in them for granted. instead i have to learn how to become who i need to be in order to create a healthy context for these relationships. this is good for me. i can’t tell you how many friends and family members i know who fail to spend time with other people. as a result, they have not learned how to be the people of kindness, grace, thoughtfulness, and courtesy that they should be.
2) in addition to this, doing life together with others helps me to keep perspective and value others. i am amazed at the way that spending time with people does this. it is easy for me to become annoyed with or critical of others when i have no interaction with them. when i begin to spend time with them though, i begin to understand them and see them as a real person who is not that different from me. i begin to see them as someone who has been made in god’s image and who god loves and values deeply. i need this.
3) finally, doing life together with others is fulfilling. even though i recharge and refresh when i have some time alone, there is no substitute for true community with other people. it creates camaraderie that all of us need. it helps to overcome our sense of loneliness that we feel and experience at times. in addition to this, it also is a major part of what god created us for. our god, by his very nature, exists in community as the father, son, and spirit. as a result, we who have been made in his image, were made for community and connection with others. we can’t truly live without it – no matter how introverted we may be!
so be communal…do life together with others. realize how essential it is for all of us, and enjoy doing life together with others – so that our relationships and interactions with others can be all that god intended them to be.
