Sustainable Communities and “The Gift”

At the core of sustainability is a belief that there is something greater than what we see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and feel today.  There is an element of the future to sustainability but what point is there to be concerned about the future if there isn’t something bigger than just us and our lives in the here and now!  To sustain a community requires faith.

The Christmas Season is here and for those of us who profess to be Christian; this is an important time of year.  There are holidays associated with other faiths that fall at this time of year but my experience, along with most of you reading this article, is a Christain experience so that is what I will talk about.  Christmas is about “The Gift.”

Christmastime is a time for renewal.  It is a time of gifts in rememberance of the “Greatest Gift” and in honor of our continued gifts.  Within the Christian Faith Community there are often diasgreements about how “The Gift” should be observed and celebrated but most denominations celebrate Christmas even though they may not celebrate in the same way on the same day.  It is all about “The Gift!”

We’ve all been given “The Gift” as well as many other gifts.  Whether we choose to accept any of these gifts is another story.  What we do with our gifts once we’ve accepted them gets us back to the discussion of sustainability.  You see, none of the gifts we’ve been given are intended to simply be treasured and placed on a shelf.  Each of these gifts is meant to be used and shared.  Unlike a cookie, when we share these life gifts, we do not have less, we have more.

Sustainability is about abundance acquired through God’s sharing and our wise use of our gifts.  It’s not about hoarding or squandering or desiring or coveting for ourselves or anyone else.  Sustainability is about having true dominion over the gifts we are given not as lords and masters but as caring stewards. The Greatest Gift was Love and that Love was manefested in the Child that is at the center of Christmas.

Some people see the Faith Community as a bunch of churches that are managed by a bunch of pastors.  I see the Faith Community as People of “The Gift.”  Some of these people have decided to meet in buildings under the guidance of a fellow “Gift receiver” that we might call Pastor, Father, Brother, Sister, etc.  Some of these people meet in homes with others who want to share their gifts.  Still other people find there own space to experience their “Gift” and share their “Gift” in a setting other than church.

Some will criticize others for the path they take to a life of faith. Perhaps we should criticize less and apply our “Gift” more.  A truly sustainable community requires that we all share our “Gift” and openly receive “The Gift” shared by others.  And we should do it willingly and without reservation.