At the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic, there was a short period of time where being sequestered at home felt novel and a little exciting. We dreamt of new hobbies to start, existing projects to complete, and old friends to catch up with as we dabbled in video chatting.

But the novelty wore off quickly as time dragged on. Tempers flared as anxieties crept in. Our tiny bubbles felt claustrophobic. Some seized the opportunity to profit from the fear and isolation, making matters worse by sowing distrust, spreading misinformation, and deepening our divisions.

It turns out we don’t do well with isolation. They know it in prisons (punishment of solitary confinement) as well as on playgrounds (punishment of having to skip recess to pound erasers). We only thrive in community.

“Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.”
(Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭17‬, ‭CSB‬‬)

As much as I like my independence, I need other people. I need their company, their humor, their different ideas, their encouragement, their love. I need other people to hold me accountable, to help me when I’m hurt, to keep me humble, to acknowledge my achievements, to inspire me, and to warn me. Some days, I just need to be seen by other people to know that I exist.

God created humans to need each other. Obviously He preferred community and cooperation over isolation and independence. He, Himself, is a Being of community, existing in three persons.

So even when it feels challenging, it’s vital to focus more on what unifies us than what divides us. We need to strengthen bonds of community instead of building walls of separation. We need each other — all of God’s children. United we stand. Divided we clearly fall.

Dear God, thank you for giving us the need and desire for community. Teach me how to see ways to connect instead of reasons to pull away. Help me build bridges instead of walls.