Belonging

Just how many people do you think want to belong? I often wonder if one of the greatest needs most people experience is a longing to belong. Something I learned at a relatively early age is that people desire three things: they desire to be loved, they desire to be known, and they desire to be loved even though they are known! In fact most people will only allow you to get to know them up to a point out of fear that you will no longer like, yet alone, love them. When someone feels that they belong to a group, a family, a church ect. they are more likely to be known and receive love. But just how many people belong to such a group? If families are broken or scattered miles away what other groups of people are available for belonging? And do these groups allow one to be welcomed into freely? Do they offer love and a willingness to get to know new people? I believe it is the duty of us Christians to welcome these people into our communities. We can offer the love that God has given us, and we can get to know people and allow for a sense of belonging. It is one thing to be nice to a person we will never see again, or offer a few lose coins to a beggar on the street as we pass by, but what if we Christians invite lonely people who desire to be loved and known into communities of faith where Gods love can be shown them and our friendship can be given? I say if we do this, we will be the Church Christ prayed we would be. We would be united as bodies of believers offering community, belonging, love and friendship. Perhaps, if we did this more, there would not be so many people longing to belong. More then that there would be more people belonging to the Kingdom as well!