I’ve known so many. I’ve met so many believers who are alone. Alone in the Body. Alone in their thinking and doctrine. Alone in their expression of church.
We all know them–the person who doesn’t attend church or isn’t part of any church community. The person who walks around feeling isolated even among other Christ-followers. The person who is rejected or misunderstood for whatever reason.
The lone Christian….
But Jesus had so much to say about these people…
He said love them. He said seek them out and love them. He said seek them out, envelope them into your family…His family, and love them.
But what do we so often do? We judge.
Oh, well, there is something wrong with them. They just don’t like other Christians. They aren’t even a Christian. They choose to be alone.
Some of these things might be true, but I would guess that many are not. I would guess that often they have been made to feel alone and have not chosen loneliness.
I myself spent almost 2 years as a lone Christian. I had the hardest time finding a church where I felt loved and welcomed, even noticed. I had 1, only 1 believing friend. I had no fellowship to speak of. I was wandering the wilderness alone desperately trying to hold onto God.
Eventually, though, I let go. My grip was not strong enough to cling on to Him.
Years later, I realized that without community, without accountability, without the Body, a Christian cannot survive.Lone Christians are easy prey for Satan and no doubt that type of isolation is what he’s after.
We were built for relationship, and not just relationship with God, but with others. We were built for family–His family.
Lone Christians must realize this. They are not suppose to be alone–whatever the excuse, whatever the reasoning. Others in the body must also acknowledge this and attempt to draw those individuals in with love, truth, and grace.
So whether the lone Christian yourself or the person perhaps judging the the lone Christian…none of us were meant to be alone. Ever. God gave us people because He knew we would need, not only Him, but those relationships, as well.
Are you a lone Christian? Why? Have you ever been a lone Christian? What or who drew you back? How should the church respond to those on the “outside”?
