Loneliness

Oh loneliness. Such a bad word. I think it’s ironical (yes, it’s a word because I can spell it) that there are 7 billion people in this world and yet we still struggle with loneliness. I guess if people solved loneliness, we’d be alright. But we’re not are we?

Especially during the holidays, people struggle with loneliness and that makes me feel very sad because I’ve been there. I would venture to say all of us have. What is the cause of loneliness? How can you be in a room full of people and yet, still feel lonely? I think loneliness is not caused by the lack people in your life, though, that does not help. I think a major reason loneliness has such a hold on us humans is because we’re not connected to the people in your life. Loneliness is all-consuming because there is a lack of intimacy in relationships and a lack of authentic community in their lives.

Community literally means: “the gift among each other” or “to give among each other”. Community means doing life together. The good, the bad, the ugly. Pseudo-community has become the norm and authentic community is something people have to search and search and search for and I’m not quite sure why. I heard someone say once that the garage door opener was the worst invention ever because no one has to get out of their cars anymore. No one has to greet their neighbor when they get out of their cars to open the door. They just drive right into their homes and no one is forced to know each other anymore. We’ve created such an independent society but the fruits of our labor have created more loneliness.

During Advent Conspiracy we are reaching out to people in an effort to “love all”, which eventually leads to worshiping fully. We do this by spending less and giving more. Our goal is to sacrifice some of our gifts in order to bless others who would otherwise have nothing this season. I love being able to bless people. Makes me happy. But I have always felt like it’s a bit awkward to just go to someone’s house, drop off gifts and leave. And if I feel awkward, I am almost positive they feel the same way. So what’s the missing link? How can we bridge the gap so that this awkwardness, maybe not go away completely, but lessens just a little bit? Not for us, but for the people we bless.

I think the missing link is that relationship piece. It isn’t awkward to give to your family or friends. Why? Because you have a relationship with them. This year, Fusion has decided to have a Christmas Party/Open House in order to begin to establish those relationships. I think this is a critical piece not to just assuage our feelings of awkwardness because really, if that’s the worst that happens to us when we bless people, we have it made. But I think it is critical because people deserve to be in community. I think Fusion is an awesome, hilarious, caring, broken, imperfect bunch of people who do life together. I think we attempt to make a concerted effort to be an authentic community. I want people who don’t have community to be a part of our family because I think we’re awesome. I don’t want people to be lonely because they don’t have any other option.

This is part of the story. The story Jesus came to tell. Enter in.

Week 2

12/8: Rachel-Genesis 29:1-14 (Shepherd’s Crook)

12/9: Joseph-Genesis 37 (Colorful Coat)

12/10: Moses-Exodus 3 (Burning Bush)

12/11: Passover-Exodus 12 (Lamb)

12/12: Miriam-Exodus 13:17-14:31, 15: 19-21 (Music Notes)

12/13: Deborah-Judges 4 (Judge’s Gavel)

12/14: Ruth-Ruth 2 (Wheat/Straw)