Networking

I remember building my first computer network back in the early 1990’s. Tim brought the hardware and we spent the day in the little church office area - connecting my computer, the secretary's computer, and a laser printer. Sending a job ‘across the network’ to print was amazing to me. It was actually primitive. My office computer is now networked to millions of computers on the Internet. With little effort I connect with thousands of people.

Networking is for more than computers. Last night, I sat with our local church leadership team and we networked; exchanging ideas, offering solutions. We all went home enriched in our thoughts!  Are you networking? Solomon did not use the word, but he knew the concept. He says that "A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." (Ecclesiastes 4:12, NLT) A web of friends and partners does not just create itself. We have to work to form and maintain connections with others. The return makes the time invested well spent.

Some of us are not naturally given to building networks. We are focused on the outcome or reluctant to grant access to our thoughts to other people. Or, maybe we are too proud to share our accomplishments?  God knows we need each other!  He created us to network!  Why not just do it alone? Because we can never reach the same level of productivity alone that we can discover when we are networked.  When people network, when they are involved meaningfully in sharing life, the end result will be richer in creativity, will enjoy greater longevity, and will make a bigger impact on the world. That is true no matter what social structure we are thinking of - family, neighborhood, church, corporation, or government.

Paul does not call it networking in the Church. He calls it being ‘in the Body.’ He compares our connectedness to the way the eye, the head, and the hand work together to allow us to live. Then he says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." (1 Corinthians 12:27, NIV)

Why don’t some people network?

Networks limit our autonomy! When we become part of a network, we give up some of our rights to just be ourselves. We have to start to think 'we' as a higher value than 'me.'  Selfishness is sin as old as Eden. The devil's lie is - " Do your own thing. It's the only way to be happy." God's truth is - "Give yourself away. Serve and love, and you will discover joy!"

Networks increase risk! Every computer owner knows the risk of being hacked or getting a virus. If you connect, no matter how protected you are, there is always some level of risk. For me the reward far outweighs the risk. When you connect with others, you can get hurt, or used, or misunderstood. Human relationships are never perfect. Some of the worst pain in our lives come as a result of opening our heart to someone who turns against us or takes advantage of us. But, the rewards of loving relationships far outweigh those risks!

Here's a word from the Word about becoming part of the Spirit's network. "Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. 
So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 
If your gift is serving others, serve them well. 
If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. 
If it is giving, give generously. 
If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. 
And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other." (Romans 12:4-10, NLT)

Now, that's REAL networking.
________

The Church's One Foundation (Aurelia)

The Church's one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord.
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heav'n He came and sought her
To be His holy bride,
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.

Elect from every nation
Yet one o'er all the earth.
Her charter of salvation-
One Lord! One faith! One birth!
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

Samuel John Stone | Samuel Sebastian Wesley
© Words: Public Domain