Our next-door neighbors are Jewish and since Sunday night, they have been celebrating Rosh Hashanah or the Jewish New Year. Watching them celebrate with family and friends has brought the story of Nehemiah into modern day reality. These traditional celebrations around biblical injunctions and traditional practices simply underscore how important community is to the kingdom of God. We were never meant to be alone. We know God not just in our closet prayers, or our private devotions, but also in the context of a community of believers.

Our neighbor has prepared so much food for these last few days that there has been a surplus, and she has shared some of that with us. In that way, we have received benefit from their celebration. That is the way God wants our abundance to overflow to others around us. There is a natural provision that comes from community. Those who have, share with those who don’t have as much, because everyone brings out of what they have. There is no sense of embarrassment or belittlement just as there is no lording it over anyone. Because everyone brings something, everyone shares equally in the gifts. Giving unifies so that everyone is blessed.

We have received gifts from other faith-based organizations, only to turn around and give something back. Well that’s silly. Since we’re giving to each other, don’t we end up in the same place as if we didn’t give at all? No, because in the giving we take part in each other’s mission. We give to a street mission and become a part of what someone else is doing that we can’t do because we don’t have the same gifts, experiences and influences. We grow; our arms get wider; we feel a part of more than just what we are doing.

Because of your generosity and involvement with us, we have a huge sense that this house is not ours alone. When we talk to the bank, there is a big family standing behind us, or like one of you said in your comments yesterday, “We’ve got your back.” And just because our community exists in cyberspace doesn’t mean it isn’t the same community as the brick and mortar down the street represents. It is the same. We have a growing sense of your love and concern for us with every gift that come in because each one represents a tangible expression of love. Your gift makes you real. Suddenly there is a real deposit in our account. That’s no mysterious action in cyberspace; that’s a present tense tangible expression of love from you. I know how hard it is for me to part with my money, so I marvel when anyone else does, and I am deeply humbled in the process.

As I was writing these last two sentences two gifts came in, one after the other. One was for $500.00 and the other for $5.00. In my heart, these are both the same, and we are overwhelmed. As our need continues, so does your generosity. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us all.