Spiritual Training Cycle: Connection (wk. 5/13)
Community has become a buzzword in many businesses today. People are realizing that to create a lasting and rich culture, they need to build a community within their organization. Yet, many communities claim to value connection but fail to live up to it. The word "community" often becomes a nagging hum in the background, easily dismissed.
But the truth is, we all recognize a true community when we see it. This past July, we celebrated 10 years as a CrossFit gym. It was also the last class I had the privilege of coaching before my family and I took a leap toward our next career move. Taking that step was the hardest, but it was the right one. It was a day filled with tears of gratitude and sadness. During the celebration, I spoke with a vendor who was there, a woman who had traveled all across the country with the military and was now establishing a business in our small town. I’ll never forget what she told me: “I want to find a family like yours one day.”
Community is not only something we’re made for; it’s what we’re made from. In one of the most intimate passages in the Bible, Jesus prays with both joy and heartache in His final moments with His disciples. He gives us a lens into the full nature of God:
“And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.” (John 17:5)
God has always been a communal being. He perfectly defines what community is because He is self-giving in every possible way—even in creating us. God didn’t create us out of desperation, manipulation, or loneliness. He was entirely self-sufficient and communal within Himself. Out of deep-seated love, God chose to make us in His image, so that we could experience the love shared between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In His mercy, God came to save us into this love. He saw us abandoned by the failures of those who should have protected us, insecure in our desire for acceptance, and longing to feel alive to something meaningful. And He made a choice. Jesus came to rescue us from the fractures in our relationships, including our relationship with God. By faith in Jesus, we are saved from the penalty that sin has caused to our eternal community with God. Jesus, the perfect reflection of what we are meant to be in relationship with each other, tells us what eternal life truly is: “that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3).
The salvation Jesus provides is both personally restorative and communally transformative. While we may rely on the best tactics in marketing, promotion, or business strategies, Jesus teaches us the ultimate way to show the world this love: through how we love one another.
What if every day we lived our lives intentionally, aware of the people around us? In every community we are part of—whether it’s the neighbor who watches your dog when you’re out, the group you text to play pickleball, the youth group you volunteer with, or your CrossFit community – God wants to reveal His love to the world through you. By shaping these relationships with Christ-like love, you have the power to influence their eternity.
We were created in the image of a communal God, designed to live in relationship with Him as we extend our love to each other. More than just a collection of individuals pursuing fitness goals, we're a community that reflects the love, grace, and selflessness of Christ. Through community, God’s love can reach beyond the walls of our heart and into the world around us.
Questions for Reflection:
What role has community played in your relationship with Jesus?
What’s one pearl of wisdom you’ve gained from your community?
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