– a Lenten Reflection on Membership and Life in Community
Why do you belong? How do you belong?
I am reading a fascinating book by Simon Sinek called, Start with Why. I am discovering that people, including me, need to belong! Our need to belong is biological: it helps us to feel safe and connected and we often actually crave it!
Simon says belonging is something you ‘feel in your gut’ and that gut feeling isn’t in your stomach! Decisions that “feel right” come from the limbic part of the brain (the part that focuses on the why and how – the place where no words are processed at all); rather than the neocortex which focuses on the ‘what’ with lots of wordy reasoning. I know, this is deep – but it’s fascinating as a way of ‘seeing’ more clearly why and how we make decisions like joining the Church, following a call, or living a life of discipleship. It may better explain why personal stories inspire the preaching and how the invitation we unconditionally extend moves people to feel like they are special, that they are not alone and that here at Bay View UMC everyone belongs!
As a bit of an introvert I am interested in the ‘how’ of belonging. Professionally, I struggle with the proper motivation to join a group or attend a meeting that I am not leading. And, personally, I am challenging myself to ‘see’ and act more clearly from my gut than my head as a means of living more fully and, I believe, more faithfully.
What a wonderful journey for this Lenten Season! To learn something new that can breathe new life into life!
Lent is the time we use to practice the ‘how’ – the values and principles that guide us – to once again say, “Yes!” to God’s invitation to ‘belong’ to God’s family – eternally – come Easter Sunday morning! Lent is a time to connect more deeply with these guiding principles and to hold oneself/community accountable to their practice.
The season is not yet over friends, and I invite you to revisit your ‘why’ for belonging to God’s family as we journey together the ‘how’ that enhances our ability as a community to use ALL of our natural strengths to grow God’s kin-dom here on Earth as it is in heaven. Each day we ready ourselves to celebrate this decision to belong: your limbic response (“gut feeling”) to that unconditional, grace-filled love of God that you experience, with skin on, not from words preached or even rational thinking but through the faith life of the community here at Bay View UMC.
Peace be with each of you. Pastor Kelly
P.S. Dr. Seuss’ book: ‘Sneetches’ is a simple metaphor for the need to belong!