Christianity Is About Community

I was at Palmer Theological Seminary Thursday evening preparing to deliver my second sermon before the class in Preaching Practicum. On the way there I ran into a friend, a fellow seminarian named Chris. He asked how I was doing and I admitted to having the familiar pre-sermon jitters. His instant response was, "Give me your hand." Startled, I took his extended hand. Then he said, "Let's pray." He prayed for me. It was short and to the point, and went something like this, "God, use Jeff tonight to deliver the message you intend for him to give. Amen." That brief prayer and contact with a fellow sojourner lifted my spirits more than I could have imagined. I went into that sermon with peace in my heart and God did use me to deliver the message God intended that night. It reminded me that Christianity truly is about community, about helping others along the often difficult road of life. Jesus said (and I paraphrase), the greatest commandments are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and spirit and to love your neighbor as yourself. And on God's green Earth, all people are children of God and everyone is "your neighbor."

Jeffrey B. Snyder