Is This What Your Life Is Missing Right Now?

Paul dealt with this in Corinth. These people were arguing about which preacher was better. Which spiritual gifts were more important. How loud the music should be. Whether to handle sexual sin with grace or discipline. Lawsuits against each other. Every petty thing you can imagine.

And Paul says, “You’re infants.”

They thought they were mature. They had knowledge. They had gifts. They were active in church.

But look at how they treated each other. Jealousy. Quarreling. Division. Pride.

Paul says you can know all mysteries. You can have vast biblical knowledge. You can give everything you own to the poor. You can even die as a martyr. But if you don’t have love—if you’re not growing in actual relationship with God and others—you gain nothing.

You’re a resounding gong. An irritating noise.

What’s Your Part?

Jesus said, “By this all men will know that you’re my disciples—by your love for one another.”

Not by your theology. Not by your spiritual gifts. Not by how much you know.

By how you love each other.

The whole story is about relationship. It started in the garden when God created us for relationship. It broke when sin disconnected us from God and from each other—Adam and Eve’s own kids killed each other. And God’s entire rescue mission has been about restoring relationship. With Him first, then with each other.

1 John 1:7 says as we walk in the light—that’s Jesus—we have fellowship with one another. You can’t separate the two. When you’re plugged into Christ, you’re supposed to be plugged into His people.

The Challenge for This Year

What if this year, instead of making resolutions about your health or your job, you focused on what God says is most important?

What if you learned to love better? To forgive more? To deal with conflict instead of burying your head or gossiping? To press into community even when it’s inconvenient?

Here’s the reality: if you have accountability, support, encouragement, and stability in your life through deep Christian relationships, then everybody who plugs into you benefits. You can say, “Let me show you what Jesus has done. Let me help you get plugged into Him too. We’ll plug into each other.”

And no matter how crazy the world gets, you’ll remember who you are. You’ll remember the big story. When you get off course, others will help you get back on track.

But if you’re isolated? If you’re doing this alone? You’re at the mercy of whatever comes along. And everyone connected to you is too.

What You Need to Do

Join a life group. Show up to a men’s or women’s group. Stop making sports or activities or convenience dictate your schedule. Use those things as tools, but don’t let them become God in your house.

Make time to be one of God’s strong anchors. And to have that anchor for yourself.

The world isn’t slowing down. But God’s plan hasn’t changed. He never intended you to do this alone.

So stop trying.

Blog originally appeared on JimPutman.com