Day 31: Breakthrough to Community
Author: Dean Greer
November 12, 2021
By Dean Greer
DSM Living Waters USA Manager
Editor’s Note: TOB is the abbreviation
for Pope St. John Paul II’s book “Man and Woman He Created Them: A Theology
of the Body” Pauline Press
‘Man becomes an
image of God not so much in the moment of solitude as in the moment of
communion.’ (TOB 9:3)
Early on in my healing journey, I discovered the remarkable
way that God uses community to break my heart open to encounter His love. Prior
to conversion as a young adult, community threatened me; its value was
enigmatic, elusive. Now many years into my healing journey, I’m grateful for
the clarity and wholeness it brings.
Growing up as a pastor’s kid, I was taught that the
community around me was watching my every move, casting judgment on whether I
was worthy of membership. I worked tirelessly to create an image that was
impossible to maintain and, in so doing, forsook the true image I was created to
reveal. Gratefully, God broke through my
façade and began resurrecting the fullness of His image in me.
It began when I could no longer forsake the truth – the
truth that my broken attempts at securing love were leading me to death. In
offering Him my brokenness, my sin, He didn’t withhold His love. My offering
liberated His love to be more freely realized. It had always been there, I just
disqualified myself from receiving it. His Body around me communicated
powerfully that I was worthy of His love.
I remember one such encounter among my Living Waters
leadership team. As their leader, I usually extend forgiveness rather than need
it. This time I had my own sin to confess. In fear and shame, I expected their
anger, judgment, and rejection. Instead, they surrounded me with mercy and truth.
Their love brought me back into alignment with His love. I reclaimed
my rightful place of sonship and the rich inheritance He had purposed for me
from the beginning. My own death and resurrection that night opened the door
for the Holy Spirit to encounter everyone in a powerful night of ministry.
Today, as I immerse myself in Jesus’ community, I find new revelation
to me and through me. I can be known and loved into greater alignment with His
will. I’m still capable and tempted to settle for less in my attempts to be
loved, to convey a 'more acceptable' image. Daily and actively, I choose to offer
my humanity to the good of community.
In doing so, I am reminded of the gift He made me to be and
the gift He made others to be for me. As I offer my gift freely, I am able to freely
receive the gift of others. In community, we discover the beauty of His image revealed
one to another.
‘Jesus, rouse the
gift we are. Help us to attend to the treasure you summon from the trash. Free
us from our constant faultfinding and free us for vestiges of paradise in our
memories and in our lives today. We refuse the liar who tries to rewrite Eden out
of our histories. Unite us to the home of our original dignity.’
‘Jesus, have mercy on us as Your
Church. We have abused weaker members, including children, and protected
ourselves. We have violated the most vulnerable. In Your mercy, free us to
superabound with justice. Grant us Kingdom discernment and courage to reform
ourselves. May our repentance grant us Kingdom authority to strengthen the
weak, discipline violators, and restore the violated.’
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