Not good to be alone

 First, we should admit that – as followers of Jesus; as those who love and serve God – we are never really alone. The Spirit within us – the Risen Christ to guide us – the constant care of God's generous love surrounding and encouraging us...No one who knows God is ever alone. But our lessons today suggest that there is a deep need in each of us. The Creation account in Genesis chapter 2 goes to great lengths to establish humans as social creatures.

This morning's first reading sets a strange scene: The Creator is helping 'adam' (the first human) to find a 'helper as his partner.' This search helps account for the wild diversity of the natural world. In the midst of a garden full of 'every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food' we are introduced to 'every animal of the field and every bird of the air.' The man is invited to name everything that God presents, and still, there is no helper as his partner.

Two things you need to know. The word our bibles translate as 'the man' in this part of Genesis is 'adam' – human. Made from the dust – a being in the 'image of God.' There's another word – 'ish' that is translated man, and from which comes the word ishshaw – woman. The text here begins with 'adam' (dust) and develops a distinction between these two primordial partners – ish and ishshaw.

But this is not a text about the nature of gender. While we're at it, I should also tell you that this biblical accounting for the state of the created world is not about the superiority of man over all other created things (dominion is a loaded term in our translations of Genesis 1) – nor is it about the imagined superiority of man over woman...in fact, forget everything you think the Bible says about gender politics. This story is about the relationship between humanity and the creation – and most importantly, it is about our need for partnership – for collaboration – for companionship...

Our built-in need for company was brought to the front of our minds during the pandemic. Even if we had the company of our families, we discovered that isolation was a very difficult thing. We wanted 'normal', and it turns out normal means people. Opportunities to interact. To disagree, to share ideas and experiences and food and fun. To be asked not to do these things – for the good of our collective health – was a very big deal. Sure, we understood the reasons – and yes, most of us could accept that a little inconvenience was a small price to pay, given the circumstances – but the reason we have seen so much engagement with our anniversary plans – or any events that we have planned in the last 12 months – is that we NEED one another's company. It's not good to be alone.

This is especially true for people of faith. I know that you each know someone who claims that their faith is a deep, personal matter. They worship in their own way; in the woods, on the beach, on the golf course. When someone tells me they are 'spiritual, but not religious,' I understand this to be code for 'you're not likely to see me in church, but I want you to know I'm a good person.' And what I can sometimes tell those folks is "I'm a good person too, but I need the company of other good people to help me figure it out."

It can be lonely to follow Jesus. It can sometimes feel as though you are the only person on the street, or in the community, who cares about offering compassion or turning the other cheek. It may be that you have encounters people who proclaim their faithfulness to your face and then demonstrate something else when your back is turned. It's possible that you know someone who has been so badly wronged by the church that you are tempted to give up on the church (as they have) in sympathy with their grievance. "I can be faithful, even in my isolation" is what we hear people say. And while I'm not qualified to judge anyone's faithfulness, I do know that it's not good to be alone.

Even Jesus knew this to be true. Jesus – the one person who might have a claim on 'going solo' does just the opposite. Following his baptism and temptation, Mark's gospel reports that the very first thing Jesus did was invite people to join him. Fishermen, tax-gatherers, brothers, zealots. The Son of the Most High chooses to surround himself with people. Not because he was incapable of being alone (Jesus knows the difference – and keep a balance – between isolation and time apart) but because in community, each member benefits from the gifts of the other. There is companionship, and encouragement, and testing and caution.

The gifts we have can be enhanced by the gifts of others. We can discover new gifts through the challenge of working together. When we compromise and accommodate one another, we learn empathy. The company of others who are working to know their place in this wide and wonderful world gives us a better picture of the whole of creation.

By ourselves we are cautious – too sure of our own limits.
Together, we can be bold – we can dream big – we can achieve much.

That's why we've asked for your ideas about how we might better serve the community in Christ's name. We want to share ideas and learn from one another how best to live God's loving kingdom in to being. The gospel is ours to share, and together we offer a more complete understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.

Singular faith can be a beacon of light in the darkness, but it is in a community, with its broad experiences, in diverse gifts and skills, with the ability to support one another's weaknesses, and build on one another's strengths – in our collective confusion and compassion are found the building blocks of the Kingdom of God.

First, we should admit that – as followers of Jesus; as those who love and serve God – we are never really alone. The Spirit within us – the Risen Christ to guide us – the constant care of God’s generous love surrounding and encouraging us…No one who knows God is ever alone. But our lessons today suggest that there is a deep need in each of us. The Creation account in Genesis chapter 2 goes to great lengths to establish humans as social creatures.

This morning’s first reading sets a strange scene: The Creator is helping ‘adam’ (the first human) to find a ‘helper as his partner.’ This search helps account for the wild diversity of the natural world. In the midst of a garden full of ‘every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food’ we are introduced to ‘every animal of the field and every bird of the air.’ The man is invited to name everything that God presents, and still, there is no helper as his partner. 

Two things you need to know. The word our bibles translate as ‘the man’ in this part of Genesis is ‘adam’ – human. Made from the dust – a being in the ‘image of God.’ There’s another word – ‘ish’ that is translated man, and from which comes the word ishshaw – woman. The text here begins with ‘adam’ (dust) and develops a distinction between these two primordial partners – ish and ishshaw.

 But this is not a text about the nature of gender. While we’re at it, I should also tell you that this biblical accounting for the state of the created world is not about the superiority of man over all other created things (dominion is a loaded term in our translations of Genesis 1) – nor is it about the imagined superiority of man over woman…in fact, forget everything you think the Bible says about gender politics. This story is about the relationship between humanity and the creation – and most importantly, it is about our need for partnership – for collaboration – for companionship...

Our built-in need for company was brought to the front of our minds during the pandemic. Even if we had the company of our families, we discovered that isolation was a very difficult thing. We wanted ‘normal’, and it turns out normal means people. Opportunities to interact. To disagree, to share ideas and experiences and food and fun. To be asked not to do these things – for the good of our collective health – was a very big deal. Sure, we understood the reasons – and yes, most of us could accept that a little inconvenience was a small price to pay, given the circumstances – but the reason we have seen so much engagement with our anniversary plans – or any events that we have planned in the last 12 months – is that we NEED one another’s company. It’s not good to be alone.

This is especially true for people of faith. I know that you each know someone who claims that their faith is a deep, personal matter.  They worship in their own way; in the woods, on the beach, on the golf course. When someone tells me they are ‘spiritual, but not religious,’ I understand this to be code for ‘you’re not likely to see me in church, but I want you to know I’m a good person.’ And what I can sometimes tell those folks is “I’m a good person too, but I need the company of other good people to help me figure it out.”

It can be lonely to follow Jesus. It can sometimes feel as though you are the only person on the street, or in the community, who cares about offering compassion or turning the other cheek. It may be that you have encounters people who proclaim their faithfulness to your face and then demonstrate something else when your back is turned. It’s possible that you know someone who has been so badly wronged by the church that you are tempted to give up on the church (as they have) in sympathy with their grievance. “I can be faithful, even in my isolation” is what we hear people say. And while I’m not qualified to judge anyone’s faithfulness, I do know that it’s not good to be alone.

Even Jesus knew this to be true. Jesus – the one person who might have a claim on ‘going solo’ does just the opposite. Following his baptism and temptation, Mark’s gospel reports that the very first thing Jesus did was invite people to join him. Fishermen, tax-gatherers, brothers, zealots. The Son of the Most High chooses to surround himself with people. Not because he was incapable of being alone (Jesus knows the difference – and keep a balance – between isolation and time apart) but because in community, each member benefits from the gifts of the other. There is companionship, and encouragement, and testing and caution.

The gifts we have can be enhanced by the gifts of others. We can discover new gifts through the challenge of working together. When we compromise and accommodate one another, we learn empathy. The company of others who are working to know their place in this wide and wonderful world gives us a better picture of the whole of creation.

By ourselves we are cautious – too sure of our own limits.

Together, we can be bold – we can dream big – we can achieve much.

That’s why we’ve asked for your ideas about how we might better serve the community in Christ’s name. We want to share ideas and learn from one another how best to live God’s loving kingdom in to being. The gospel is ours to share, and together we offer a more complete understanding of what it means to follow Jesus.

Singular faith can be a beacon of light in the darkness, but it is in a community, with its broad experiences, in diverse gifts and skills, with the ability to support one another’s weaknesses, and build on one another’s strengths – in our collective confusion and compassion are found the building blocks of the Kingdom of God.