Family & Body

     What I live with, I learn; what I learn, I practice; what I practice, I become. We each experienced this progression in the families in which we lived, whether biological or adopted. Additionally, other environments during our most formative years the provided fertile soil for character development. For example, the years we spend in school, as we develop long-standing friendships, become a kind of extended family. We take on values and certain mannerisms to “belong.” Essentially, we learn, practice and become that which we aspire to.
     As our experience in school shows us, for every small group we incorporate ourselves into, we absorb a variety of moral nuances as well as influence others in them. We evaluate and assess, accept or reject a number of ideas and concepts each day. We are becoming today something a bit different than we were yesterday.
     This brings me to the idea of a spiritual family. For the Christian, this family is called the family of God, the church. Another familiar name is the Body of Christ. To be part of a family instantly brings much to mind concerning our own personal experience of being in a family. Seeing that our current conditions are quite contrary concerning families, it is easy to understand why thinking of church as a family sometimes comes across in negative ways. However, even in such times, a church will always reflect family. That means, we will have to learn to put up with each other’s oftentimes annoying idiosyncrasies.
     Thinking of church as a Body conjures a variety of notions more personally flavored. Each part of a body is intimately connected with the whole. If the arm is sore, the legs, while not feeling the pain, are not disconnected from the body. In fact, the opposite arm will try to comfort the arm in pain as the legs attempt to make up for the loss of the pained arm’s movement.
     Small groups can be seen as families and bodies. As families, they learn to live with those in the small group despite features not always appealing. As bodies, they learn to care for others as they care for themselves; they learn to relate in such ways as to help those hurting or needing special care.
     It is in the small group environment that we learn to live as communities. It is in the small group we experience compassionate comfort in trying times. It is in the context of intimate small groups we encounter the healing power of a listening heart during painful times. In small groups, we learn to value warm hugs, intentional looks into the eye, and authentic concern for personal well-being.