7/10/2017 0 Comments Music Camp Community (part 2)So, to answer the question from Music Camp Community (part 1), which was: "How can I have this kind of community away from camp?" I began thinking about this, wondering whether it was even possible. I concluded that no two groups of people could ever be the same, because no two individuals are the same. But I believe one person truly can make a difference, especially in his or her own community. In Galatians 5, Paul describes the traits of a person (or a community) that is led by what he calls "the flesh." People who are led by the flesh put their will above others, and above God's. In verses 19-21, Paul lists all the sins and problems someone who lives this way will run into. They include: "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like." Some of these may not apply to you, but how many times, when you have put yourself first, has hatred and contention arisen? How about jealousy and envy? Angry outbursts? I've seen some of that in me and in some of the communities I've been a part of, and fleshly living is the root of it. Who wants that? I saw none of your hands go up. "All right, but get to the point. How does this help us create an amazing community?" Here: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." Galatians 5:22-26 Look. If you become a loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled friend and family member, all of that will begin to rub off on those around you. I experienced the positive peer pressure of having my quiet time in the morning when my roommate at camp did it. Laughter and sincere complimenting was contagious. "But how? How do I become all of those things?" It takes a little work. Okay, a lot. Our flesh is often the most convincing part of our human complex, so we give in to it more than we ought to. Jesus said in John 15:5: "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing." "Now what does that mean?" Glad you asked. As you may know from the first part of this series, I asked my camping buddies how they do it. I'm glad to share their ideas (and a few others I've tried) with you. A lot of it revolved around reading God's Word and prayer.
If you have any other tips, please let me know. I'm far from perfect and need all the help and motivation I can get! If you're the only one doing this in your family, find a community, maybe at church, or even here online that will support you and pray for you where you are. It takes individuals to make changes, but it can only happen by God's hand. So keep praying and seeking. I'll be here with you. We'll do it together.
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Lily Calicois an aspiring composer, writer, artist and musician. Archives
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