The early Christians were often very poor, for two reasons. Christ’s love appealed more to the poor, in some areas, because some rich people thought they had everything. And, if a rich person did trust Christ as Savior, he or she often lost their inheritance or got kicked out of their house. That still goes on in some countries today.
Just like those early Christians, community is very important today. There is even persecution in the Untied States, though not as much as in other places. Christians need to stick together and help each other, because we’re family.
But, how do you know who to get help from? The early Christians would greet each other, at times, by saying, “He is risen,” to which another would reply, “He is risen, indeed!” But, anyone can say that.
The key here, as elsewhere, is that we should know people by their fruit. Now, you can have non-Christian friends. But, the key is, are those friends edifying you, or pulling you down? As we’ll see later, it can be very dangerous to hang around friends whose bad attitude rubs off on you. But, even if friends aren’t committing crimes, are they causing you to be drawn away from your position as leader.
“Wait,” you say, “they’re my friends.”
If they’re really your friends, they will listen when you tell them, “No cursing in front of my kid brother and sister.” They will understand when you refuse to repeat dirty jokes. They will adhere to the standard you set as a spiritual leader, a standard of decency that you want those you shepherd to follow. It may take explaining and encouraging. But, if they’re really your friends, they won’t make you do anything you don't want to do. If not, Jesus will help you through the heartache. And, someday, that person who walked away from you before may wind up being a superb, dedicated leader in his own right. Just remember to always take it to the Lord in prayer. Some people need a lot of prayer before they will get right with God.
Of course, they can still help in certain situations. They can still be acquaintances. Because, there are some things, like sickness, where you need a lot of people pitching in in small ways. So, keep the lines of communication open. You might be able to help them in the same way someday, and show what Christian love really means.
