(Acts 2:44-47)
Are all communities friendly? From a social perspective, communities are like people; they are not all the same. They (like people) have different personalities. Some are very friendly, welcoming, inclusive, showing humility (what I call "down home people") While others are arrogant, rude, and stand-offish.
When you live in a community for awhile, and you have not connected socially, with the people, something is wrong. And that "something" is a mind set, that didn't happen over night, but has been developed over many years.
It would have been great to be in the early Christian community. If you were a stranger, and came into their fellowship, you would not have been a stranger very long. And if they knew that you had any needs, they would have made sure that those needs, were taken care of. You would have felt so welcome, and made to feel apart of their fellowship,
You definitely would have joined them in praising God, and having favor with all the people. It is no wonder that the Lord added to their number day by day, those who were being saved. They showed, and shared the "good news" of Jesus Christ.
It is not easy to be in an unfriendly community. But even if we are, we should "let our light shine" with the joy we have in the Lord. Who knows, maybe, with the Lord's help, you may be the one to break that mind set, and establish a new attitude in your community. GP
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