it takes a village

I've never heard anyone argue over the thought that life is hard, even - especially even, perhaps - as a believer. While every day brings something many Christian artists like to call "mercies new"; that is grace, hope and forgiveness, our attempts at finding these things are often thwarted by oppressing feelings of guilt, shame and hopelessness. Whatever our giants are - pornography, infidelity, alcoholism, you name it - we can never quite seem to defeat them. We may be able to cover them up for a while, keeping them hidden from the public or enshrouding ourselves in denial, but where sin is concerned, "out of sight, out of mind" doesn't exactly apply. In the back of our minds, we always know that things are amiss. Overwhelmed with guilt and feeling humbled, we may even try to repent and fix what's wrong, but this proves to be a far more difficult endeavor than expected and we're left feeling worse off in a failed effort to change than we did turning a blind eye to the problem.

So, what gives? Why is it that even with the power of Christ in us, no matter how much we love Him, no matter how badly we want to do right by Him, more often than not we resolve to give in to our inner demons, losing battle after battle?

I believe the answer lies in singularity. We were never meant to just fumble through life alone, and yet we are constantly in hibernation, forcing ourselves to struggle and endure and bear the weight of our burdens without the help of others. But we are a race built upon relationships, and God created us in this way so that we would never have to suffer alone. Everyone has different gifts, or tools, and while no one person is capable of possessing every tool available, each tool is necessary for survival.

Imagine yourself on a camping trip with your buddies. In your backpack, you're carrying a blanket, a journal, a few bottles of water and a compass. If all of your buddies suddenly ditch you and you're left to fend for yourself in the wilderness, are you going to make it out alive? Maybe. But one of your buddies is carrying the flashlight and food, and another buddy is carrying the tent. Each person is carrying a different set of tools, and yes, individually you may survive without a complete set, but ultimately every tool is needed for you to have the best camping experience possible.

So it's not just the tools that are necessary; most importantly, it's the people. One can only carry so many tools in their backpack - even though very few are necessary for literal survival - and this is where Shane Claiborne gets it right. Without going into too much detail, as there are many many facets to this particular radical, zany young man, Shane Claiborne is the founder of The Simple Way, a system of communal living designed to bring believers back to the basics of Christianity - unchained, uncluttered, and supported by all living under your roof. They eat meals together, pray together, worship together, and grow together. They open their doors for the drunkards, the prostitutes, the lepers and the general rejects of society, allowing them to learn and heal and change, and then release them when they're ready to stand on their own. They find jobs for people, plant gardens, visit churches, build parks and fight the legal system. They focus on writing and art and music and any other form of organic expression to teach, liberate and spark change. In short, they are being Jesus to the world, and they're doing it together.

I have many dreams, but perhaps my biggest one is to build a community home much like Shane's. Actually, i'd like to build numbers of them in different areas, even different countries if God allows. While some people may be turned off by the idea of sharing their living space, i think it has the potential of eliminating two of the most dominating problems in our society: selfishness and loneliness. Would i love to have my own bathroom and be able to watch movies whenever i feel like it? Sure. But being God's hands and feet to the orphans and widows, and sharing my burdens with others instead of suffering alone, sounds much more appealing and, in the end, far more gratifying. I want to live in such a way that every day i know i'm carrying out the will of God. I want to share in the joys and sorrows of others, lending my support and encouragement, and receiving the same in return. I don't want to just dream about change anymore, i want to make change.

I've done a lot of thinking about this, and while the details are a bit hazy - who will be involved? how will it run? - i know it's going to happen. I am convinced that if we stop doing life alone and start doing it together, the tides will change and we will truly be able to live in freedom, enjoying the best camping experience possible.

We've got the compass. Now let's pitch the tent.