It’s Time To Check Your Community

Purpose: A Faith perspective on the importance of the right community

When you think of the word community, what springs to mind?

For me it’s being in a space of like-minded people where you’re able to show/be your authentic self. 

We hear about the importance of community from all walks of life. As a child I was constantly reminded to not just call anyone a ‘friend.’ There was a strong emphasis on being careful about who I hung around and if any of you are from an African household, you might be able to relate to the struggle. (Especially when the topic of sleepovers came around!)

As adults we’re told in order to make friends, we have to find the right community of people. We’re told our network is our net-worth. Now, whilst these two motivators aren’t necessarily wrong, they don’t provide us with the right tools to decide what type of people should be in this community?

Sheep and Wolves 

The Bible speaks a lot about sheep. In fact God actually refers to us humans as His sheep over 500 times. This doesn’t mean that we stand in fields and say ‘baa’ all day, but reflects the overall characteristics of people. 

We like to follow things.

Whether it’s people, trends, animals or musicians we are built to be invested in things besides ourselves. Now on the surface this isn’t a bad thing, after all Jesus did ask His disciples to follow Him in order to reap everlasting life. No, following only becomes an issue when we run into the wolves. 

The Power of Influence 

Wolves from a Christian perspective, are anything that takes you away from your purpose.

They can influence you to do, or not do things that may seem logical but actually come with ulterior motives. Influence is a powerful skill. I read How To Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnige and it was excellent. One of the main take-aways I received is, the level of influence you’re able to cultivate can either create opportunities or stifle them. 

So how can we make sure, that when we are connecting with others, building a community of people that appreciate our value, rather than diminish it – that we are doing it in the best way possible?

Community Checklist

In order to evaluate whether the community you are hanging around are actually right for you, here’s a little checklist I created for you to go through. 

• You feel lighter when you’re around them
• You’re able to voice your opinions without feeling like a nuisance or get shut down
• There is a high level of respect throughout the community 
• When you are around them they inspire, motivate or challenge you
• It just feels safe
• They welcome room for change on a regular basis 
• They encourage you to do better and provide constructive criticism where necessary 
• You feel uplifted once you leave them
• You’re able to stay completely present when around them
• They are believers in God and/or encourage you to live out your faith 

So what next?

As we continue enjoying the summer season, it’s also a good time for a reset. Of course every community we happen to be a part of, will bring out different parts of us, so they may not tick every box on the checklist.

However, if any community you’re a part of can’t fulfill at least half of these things, then maybe it’s time to sit down and ask yourself who is really in your community?

Let’s enjoy the season knowing that we are part of a community that makes us feel safe, secure and seen.

Remember there’s always time to take a moment away. 

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