MY RADICAL JOURNEY: 40 Days with The Purpose Driven Life

Critical mass

Day 18: Experiencing Life Together

Taking off from the last chapter, belonging to a group or a community would also mean we will be sharing and thus, experiencing our life with others. This is God's design since the beginning as life is meant to be shared.

A new learning for me from Warren is that there is such a thing as a "critical mass" in fellowship. That size matters and that, ideally, smaller is better. He says once a group reaches about 10, management becomes a concern. Yes, probably it may be the reason why Jesus had only 12 disciples. It is delightful to realize that God has logic in his ways.

But what do we get in fellowship in the first place? Is it worth it?

Warren says in real fellowship people experience 1. Authenticity, 2. Mutuality, 3. Sympathy, and 4. Mercy. The lessons he purports about the last one are really amazing as I understand them now.

Indeed, we are obligated to forgive no matter the gravity of the hurt done to us. We have to forgive because God has forgiven us in the first place. In fact, he is forgiving us as we are committing sins now. He has even forgiven us for the sins we are still about to commit in the future. This really is wonderful!

I also understood that why it is so difficult for us to forgive is because we mistake forgiveness with trust. Really, we must forgive instantaneously as the wrong has been done us. But we are not forced to trust the wrongdoer instantly. We may forgive him, but we are given allowances to doubt him thereafter. Time (and subsequent proofs of repentance and amends) is needed for him to regain our trust. And that is all right.

I know for a fact that I'll be missing much if I don't reach out to a fellowship to experience life together with others. I know I was created for community.