When Jan and I lived in Europe we came to love and appreciate the people in each nation we visited. Right now, Europe is entering a very dangerous and challenging winter. Shortages and unprecedented inflation have caused people to resort to drastic measures to survive. The war in Ukraine has intensified fear and uncertainty about the future.
In the UK, some retailers are placing anti-theft devices on things like cheese, butter, and baby formula. In Germany, GPS units are being placed within stacks of firewood to track theft. Riots in European cities are taking place demanding change.
These are unstable times, not only in Europe but around the world. We who live in America have lived within an insulated bubble for decades, but what is taking place abroad is about to visit our shores.
Last night, we shared a meal with several couples in our neighborhood we had only greeted in passing in the past. During our meal, we committed to looking out for each other in tangible ways if unexpected challenges came in the future.
Having a local community of believers with whom we are connected is important, not just in the good times, but when the tough times come. This kind of relationship is more than coming and going Sunday after Sunday to attend a church service but never really establishing a relationship. It means connecting locally, in our immediate neighborhood, and really knowing each other’s needs and taking care of one another.
We may soon face challenges in the United States like what is happening in Europe. Those challenges will bring us all back to the basics of shared communal life and how together we can make life work when life seems unstable and uncertain.
Study the life of ranchers and farmers. They know how to make life work when the tough times come. They have lived through challenges year after year and endured hardships. They survived together, not in isolation. Neighbors loving neighbors is one of the most powerful testimonies we can offer to the world.
It’s this lack of community that creates the each man for himself behaviour we have seen in recent times.
Bless you Garris