07/03/2025
Community matters…
Over the last few days, I read Jeremiah and Lamentations. Jeremiah is commonly referred to as “The Weeping Prophet” because of the agony he and the Israelites experienced when Babylon conquered them. Jeremiah described the despair in vivid detail as his people died from starvation, longing to die by the sword.
So, why do I say community matters?
The people in Jeremiah’s day had become so selfish that morals weren’t even considered. This isn’t something that happens overnight to an entire nation. It’s something that slowly brews and ultimately captures the minds of nearly everyone. Only the people who are willing to stand up for what is right, despite the vitriol and disgust from others, will prosper in the end. But even they will not avoid the pain and turmoil.
Community matters because all people are influenced and affected by the community they are a part of. This is why cultures are a thing. The phenomenon of food cultures, happiness cultures, work cultures, slave cultures, team cultures, women's or men's cultures, etc. Some great, some not so great. These cultures are a result of a large group of people influencing one another. On a smaller scale, it is commonly thought of as Groupthink.
Groupthink is generally used with a negative connotation. It’s the idea that a group of people will do far crazier things than any one individual would ever do on their own. My dad put it to me in this simple way, “One boy, whole boy; Two boy, half boy; three boy, no boy.” He intended to help me understand that the boys I hung out with mattered. If I were hanging with the wrong group of boys, I’d turn out just like them. Conversely, if I hung out with a morally sound group of boys, I’d turn out just like them. Communtiy matters.
I suppose a good conclusion to this thought could be this. Are you honoring God when you’re hanging with your friends? If not, ask yourself why. Is it you that’s the problem, is it them, or is it because no one is leading with a moral purpose? We all battle the phenomenon of Groupthink, don’t let it control you and your friends. The problem might not be anyone in your group; the problem could be that no one is leading your group with a purpose.
So be cautious of this thing we call Groupthink, and value good leadership in your community. Because your community matters to you, your family, and your friends.
https://calendly.com/eric-twt_leadership_coach/15min?preview_source=et_card&month=2025-07
