Alone in the crowd

Alone: "separate, apart, or isolated from others; to be satisfied with the existing situation; refrain from attempting to change conditions." http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/alone

There were about twelve of them standing in a general spot, each probably two or three feet from everyone else. As I drove by I noticed they were all staring in the same direction, opposite to the direction I was moving. I wanted to look back of course and see what was worth their undivided attention. I soon realized I didn’t need to look around because the answer for their stare was the anchor to them all standing within feet of each — the bus-stop sign.

Imagine the scene. Everyone keeps a comfort-zone distance from everyone else and the fascination is staring at the bus coming up the street. For a variety of reasons we choose not to be interested and engage someone with informal conversation, just to make the cold wait worth the stand.

It is hard work to engage strangers. It is uncomfortable to allow someone into our space and fearful to try to enter theirs. We don’t know what to expect. Sadly, we’re often not even interested to try.

Our homes are even threatened with living in personalized pods of space. Everyone can crawl into their own zone and barely speak a word. We’ve been away from each other all day, can be away from each other all evening even though we’re under the same roof and finally go to bed not even knowing how everyone else’s day was.

God created community. His plan has always been that we take an active interest in the well-being of our neighbors and families. Some situations definitely necessitate distance from people. We must also recognize though that we need to balance that reality with the ‘call’ to live in community. So, while many times we prefer or have become accustomed to being alone, there are also times we should become more personable, more concerned, more interested in what’s going on ‘next door’ or across the street or down the hallway.

A man asked Jesus what the greatest commandment in the Bible was. "Jesus replied, "’You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind." Jesus went a step further and said something else. "This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ " There you have it - the Bible in a nutshell. You can’t love without being interested enough to get involved.

I’m gonna’ go now and let my family know that I know they’re in the house.

Pastor D.