Along side

There is a destiny that makes us brothers/none goes his way alone/all that we send into the lives of others/comes back into our own.  – Edwin Markham

No man is an island. – John Donne

During good times and really difficult times, it is a blessing to have community to walk along side with you – people you can call at two in the morning, or that you know will always have an open door.  We are not created to exist without community.

There is a particular kind of community that tends to be undervalued, one that I think warrants seeking.  When asked, “what are you going to do about (fill in the blank with whatever head of government you choose)?”, my response is that first I intend to ask God to send a Push and Pull Community to surround that leader.

We see this type of community exemplified in two particular people in the Old Testament. They weren’t the heads of state or government but were trusted advisers. The first is probably familiar to many: Daniel. He was one of Darius the Mede’s most trusted advisers, but also served under Belshazzar and Cyrus during the Babylonian captivity of the Israelites. His role in interpreting signs of the times and giving sound advice to ungodly rulers enabled him to influence the society in which he lived, and to steer those rulers toward good. Daniel represents the Push part – he pushed those leaders to pay attention to God and to engage in godly actions.

The second is King David’s friend, Hushai.  When King David’s son Absalom attempted a coup and caused King David to flee Jerusalem, Hushai the Arkite was at the summit of the Mount of Olives to meet him, robe torn and dust on his head (II Samuel 15:32). King David asked him to turn back to the city and feign allegiance to Absalom in order to frustrate the advice of one of David’s advisers who had betrayed him. And that is what Hushai did: he kept Absalom from succeeding in the evil plans the other advisers suggested. Hushai represents the Pull part – he pulled Absalom away from plans that were not of God and that would have caused trouble for Israel.

Our leaders need to be surrounded by a Push and Pull Community who will give wise, sound, and beneficial counsel, and who will, likewise, refute evil, destructive, and foolish ideas. We as leaders in whatever capacity we might hold, need to make sure we build that kind of community around us; and we need to make sure we actively seek to build that and be that for other leaders.

Who’s along side you in Community?