A Man without Community?

Those in my immediate circle know how much I talk about, cherish, and work for true community.  Not only do I wish to be a catalyst for transformative community for the marginalized and disenfranchised, but I also desire to be a part of community myself. 

I’ve been doing some thinking for the past few weeks and I’m not exactly sure that I am in community.

I mean – I know that I am a citizen of Baltimore and that I’m active in certain circles, but I’m beginning to question if I am in community myself – the type of community where genuine concern is voiced and displayed / the type of community where a set of values are shared that help propel the direction (i.e. activities)of the community / the type of community where disagreements are aired and points of tension engaged with the confidence that no point of contention will lead to the excommunication of any member unless they decide that they don’t share the same values as the community any longer. 

Bottom line is – I’m beginning to feel like an island.  A rogue preacher in the wilderness detached from any body of people who are willing to sacrifice on the level necessary to secure justice for all. 

Is this what John the Baptist felt like?  I’ve been thinking – what drove John to start a ministry in the wilderness?  Who or what was it that ultimately pushed him to the point that he was willing to leave it all to do what he felt God called him to do.  I’ve been thinking of the other prophets – Jeremiah, Isaiah, Amos and others.  They were often marginalized voices.  Voices that the community was tired of hearing.  They were prosecuted and persecuted.  They were ostracized and ignored.  Is that what it feels like to be a prophet?  Not that I consider myself a prophet, but I’m living with intention to pattern my life’s steps after the prophets who’ve come before me with God’s help.  If these types of feelings are germane to the path of prophecy then I accept them with open arms.

After prolonged reflection, I’ve concluded that these feelings are par to the course that I’m on.  The prophet, Elijah, believed that he was the only prophet.  God had to remind him that there were many others who had not bowed their knees to Baal.  In that – God reminds me as well. 

So my prayer is that God would direct me to the large community of ambassadors of Jesus of Nazareth who have not bowed their knees to political apathy, perverted forms of Christianity, church conferences every quarter, televangelist preacher worship, name it /claim it theology, and “too busy for social justice” mentalities. 

And Lord give them thick skin so that they are not repelled by this inextinguishable fire that you’ve shut up in my bones.  I’ve tried to temper it so that it does not burn those around me, but I’ve found out that the fire does not take kindly to attempts to squelch it.  I submit to the beauty and the burden of The Call – the beauty of knowing that you desire to use me as an instrument of justice in this world – the burden of knowing that this is one of the loneliest roads I’ve ever traveled.