3 Strands in a Rope by Kelley Barton

This Sunday, as our panel talked about Sex, Dr. John Han’s comment about Purity stood out so much to me, it was as if a neon sign flashing “LISTEN TO THIS” was above his head.

He said “When you hear “purity” it often illicits this binary of clean and dirty. I don’t think that’s a kingdom or christ principle. When we talk about being purified, we are really being purified from the need to fend for ourselves or to get our needs met outside of the context of relationship. I think that is what we are really being purified from. That framework is a lot more dignified for who we are as believers, as human beings, because it doesn’t qualify us by our past but gives us a roadmap of what we are moving towards in the process of sanctification as believers.”

This profound statement made me think about my interpretation of what the church has taught about Purity. But it also amplified one of the pillars of our faith community at City Church – that we are not meant to be on this journey towards Jesus ALONE!

I’ll repeat the phrase that kept ruminating with me:

“the need to fend for ourselves or to get our needs met OUTSIDE of the context of relationship”

Now look at this section of Ecclesiastes from The Message translation:

“I turned my head and saw yet another wisp of smoke on its way to nothingness: a solitary person, completely alone—no children, no family, no friends—yet working obsessively late into the night, compulsively greedy for more and more, never bothering to ask, “Why am I working like a dog, never having any fun? And who cares?” More smoke. A bad business. It’s better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the work, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, But if there’s no one to help, tough! By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.”

Ecclesiastes 4:7-10, 12 MSG

Are you trying to navigate this journey alone because it’s easier than risking rejection, as perhaps you have had in the past? Or are you too busy to carve out time to foster friendship? Perhaps you are neuro divergent and the noise level at church is a barrier. Whatever may be holding you back, I hope you will reach out to someone in our faith community and ask for guidance in how to make deeper connections. Text if face to face is too intimidating. Phone calls or face time are also a nice option.

And if you are like me, an extrovert, perhaps you can find a bit of space for someone new, or to connect a lonely person to someone else who might be a complimentary fit.

Please don’t walk your journey alone. Find a strand or two to make a rope that will provide the strength you need, now and in the future.