I’ve brought amusement to the faces of friends and family over the years when I’ve talked about “finding my people.”
{ It’s like I’m part of some Indian tribe and I’ve lost them somewhere. }
But I really believe that we all do have a kind of “tribe” of people we belong to, or with.
For me, first and foremost “my people” would be Christians.
I belong in that tribe.
I speak their language.
I understand their ways.
Usually. Ha.
But it gets more refined than that.
We all have people we relate to better than others.
It has to do with our passions, talents, backgrounds, and personal preferences.
All the ways that I believe God hardwired us.
You might find “your people” in your love for God, sports, cooking, Bible studies, nature, hiking, bicycling, horticulture, insects, martial arts, running, reading (book clubs), dog shows, computers, fishing, chess, and on and on we could go.
It also has to do with the calling and purpose God has for our lives—who He has in mind to walk with us for all He has planned for us.
{ I personally think that it is very, very, important to find your tribe and hang out with them as much as possible. }
These people will be the ones who elevate and encourage you to become all God created you to be.
They pray for you.
They get your sense of humor! 🙂
They will help you become your very best. { without jealousy and competition }
They will coax the blooms hidden in you.
Sometimes it will be very intentional.
Other times it will be because they are so likeminded that simply hanging out with them stimulates your growth.
In just the same way, if you are NOT fellowshipping with “your people,” you will be in great danger of NOT become all you were designed to be.
In the extreme negative sense, hanging out (fellowshipping) with the WRONG people, can lead down some dark paths of destruction for our lives. Drugs. Slothfulness. Rebellion. Negativity. Despair.
In a neutral way, we do not find our passion and destiny. We settle for much less. A life of boredom and emptiness.
But when we do find “our people” it’s like plugging into a power source. We come alive!
Right now I’m thinking about “The Inklings.”
The Inklings were an informal literary discussion group of Christian, British men who were good friends.
Most of them were teachers at, or otherwise affiliated with, Oxford University.
Many of them were creative writers and lovers of imaginative literature.
J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were in this group. Heard of them??
It is said that they usually met on Thursday evenings in C.S. Lewis’s and J.R.R. Tolkien’s college rooms in Oxford during the 1930s and 1940s for readings and criticism of their own work, and for general conversation. Readings and discussions of the members’ unfinished works were the principal purpose of the meetings.
These famous authors have said that had it not been for this group, they probably would not have gone forward with their writings.
At the least, we can presume that it wouldn’t have been the same without the encouragement and critique and intellectual stimulation of their likeminded friends and colleagues—their people. And we would have had a world without “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “The Hobbit” and many other important literary works that have influenced millions of people.
Can you see what I’m driving at?
There is nothing at all wrong with preferring certain people over others.
We cannot be friends with, and give our time to, everyone.
I believe that in order to coax our buds to bloom, we are best served in spending whatever free time we have with…our people. It is there where we will find the connection we desperately need to help us grow.
God created us this way.
To need each other.
I have gone through great stretches of time when I haven’t had many of “my people” around me due in great part to the fact that I believe I’ve not yet arrived at the glorious convergence of my passion, purpose, and place.
Our people usually congregate in greater numbers at “the place” where we feel most alive and at home. For me, that is in gorgeous nature places, cool weather, and in areas of art and creativity.
So, during these times, I have found some of my people in the pages of books.
The books were written by real people so I’m in a sense fellowshipping with them.
It isn’t quite the same, of course, but there are times when it has had to suffice.
Even if I one day find myself in my place with my people (and I certainly hope that I do get to experience that) I will always fellowship with these authors.
The wonderful thing is that I can even spend time with those who have gone on to heaven!
{ Oh, the glorious wonder of books! }
People do gain a bit of immortality through their writings—to the benefit of those of us still walking this earth.
So I guess I’m saying that if you, like me, haven’t been able to meet up with your larger tribe in your place, God will still find a way for you to fellowship and be encouraged and inspired with likeminded souls.
I have also found that He has graciously connected me with some of my tribe where I am now—those who are disconnected from the “larger group” as well.
Ask Him, and then trust Him, to make the connections you need to your people so that you can become all He created you to be—and ideally do it within the community of your people.
LINK: Your Place: Bloom Where You’re Planted? Part 1