What Happens in Vegas

There is that saying about Las Vegas, what happens there, stays there.  The idea is that when you get there you can behave in ways that you ordinarily would not.  There's no worry about your reputation or repercussions.  Do you want.  Some people have other versions of this.  It might be deer camp.  It might be ladies weekend.  Sometimes people want to live without consequences, but the world doesn't really work that way.

While I now live in a small town, I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit.  One big difference between living in a small town and a big city is the number of ways that we are associated with other people.  It seems that in a large city, we know people in a specific way and that's it.  It is fairly rare to have a person that you work with also be going to your church or also be the parent of one of your children's friends.  You get the idea.  In a small town you see the people from work at the grocery store and the little league game.  

Someone once described small town living to me by saying, "You don't need to know the people, just there business."  And there is that sense of living in a fish bowl where everything is on display.

Christians are called to build true community with each other.  True community means that you know more than their business, you get to know the person too.  In true Christian community people know each other beyond the surface.  This is not easy for a lot of people.  It is easier to let parts of our life stay separate from each other.  But things that are worthwhile are rarely easy.

Watch this clip from Pastor Chris.

True community requires risk.  It requires people to be open and genuine.  It requires people to be accepting of the flaws in others and transparent about the challenges in themselves.  It is challenging, but the worthwhile things usually are.