Have you ever gone for an extended period of time without talking to anyone? I mean no face-to-face conversations, no phone calls, no texts, nothing; you just take a break from any human interaction. At first, it’s kind of nice. You start to unwind, relax, and just let yourself breathe. You get comfortable, confident even, and start to feel independent. But, after a while, you start to get that gnawing feeling, the urge to share, to converse, to just be around other people.
Humans were not designed to be alone. We were designed to be social, to share relationships and community with one another. It’s been that way since the beginning of time:
Genesis 2:18
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
There is power in community. We draw strength from one another, and this is especially important to remember when it comes to those in poverty.
Often times, we have a tendency to exclude and avoid those who aren’t like us. If someone isn’t as well dressed or educated as us, we generally won’t even bother to approach them. So then, how are those in poverty ever supposed to change and grow when society keeps pushing them away and telling them they’re not good enough?
According to data obtained from the UK Household Longitudinal Study, Understanding Society, a team of researchers found that “socially isolated individuals are more likely to be in poverty than those with larger circles of friends.”
It is our duty as brothers and sisters in Christ to support, help, love, and accept one another in our success and in our mess. Think how much easier it is for someone to get their life together when they feel loved rather than ashamed of where they’re at.
At Jesus Was Homeless, we promise to show genuine love and acceptance regardless of how you look, where you work, or what you struggle with. We promise to meet you where you’re at, without judgment or criticism, and provide guidance and support however we can. We promise to be there for you when you fall and celebrate with you as you rise.
We were designed for community so that when one person struggles, the rest of are there to help them back up again, and that’s exactly what we intend to do.