Community Over Competition - Kady Adair

I couldn’t do life without the people around me. I lean on them; I learn from them and I enjoy life with them. They are all made up of different personalities, have different ways of seeing things, doing things and saying things! Some outspoken, some more quiet and reserved. But all unique and all play a special part in making the community I am in so beautiful. 

The beauty and splendour of community is that we are different. Actively embrace it, don’t avoid it. Why? Because difference provides an opportunity for you to learn more and expand who you are as a person. Where there is genuine connection and community there is this beautiful diversity that is formed. Embracing it in your life forces you to grow. 

But you know with community comes conflict. I’m a girl who has been on a journey with learning how to process ‘conflict’ properly. I used to run for the hills if there was any sense of tension between myself, another or between other people. The fear of hurting others and being hurt myself, in my head was more important than the lessons I would learn from working through it and the ability to grow because of it. So many times, I would allow conflict to win, rather than fight for unity within community. And when you let conflict win, it weakens community. It weakens unity. It weakens you. 

I need people. You need people. At the very core of who we are, we are made to be in connection - connection with God and with people. The very thing the enemy wants to do is destroy connection and to isolate us. So, we must protect it. 

When we have offence, we must deal with it right away. When we have opposite views, don’t be too proud to have to win the argument.  When there’s been a breakdown in trust, give it to God and ask him for his grace to help you forgive. And make sure love is the anchor in everything. When you love someone genuinely, you will put your own discomfort aside for the sake of unity and love that person. 

I am so passionate about seeing the beauty of all people represented in His House. People young and people old, from different nations, cultures and backgrounds, bringing the strengths of each, being encouraging, supporting and loving one another is strengthening the body as a whole. It makes His House more beautiful. 

When we develop a true understanding of the power of a diverse, generational connection within community, the body of Christ will be a place where we are all accepted, loved and find a home. 

I leave you with the beautiful Word of God in Romans 12:18 in the passion translation it says, “Do your best to live as everybody’s friend.” 

If everyone did their best to live as everyone’s friend how rich of a Godly community that would be! 

Written By Kady Adair 

Kady is married to Matiu and they are on team at Kingdomcity in Perth. Together they have three beautiful children.