True Community

On the drive home one afternoon, I spotted two large horses in a field. The animals stood parallel to one another, each one’s head to the other’s tail-end. Tails swished as they kept annoying flies away from the other’s face. The constant buzzing of flies is more than just a nuisance. If given time and opportunity, flies can deposit bacteria, larvae, and parasites in the horses’ eyes. These two horses worked as a team to protect one another.

God knew that a man or woman alone is vulnerable. Loneliness, doubts, and a constant barrage of hostile questions and false truths can be like the buzzing of a thousand flies. When we’re on our own, those things distract us and even threaten our well-being. But when we pair with others, we can offer encouragement. We can remind one another of what Jesus taught and what Scripture says. We can uphold one another through hardship and heartache, knowing that God loves us and will never abandon us. We can challenge each other to look for new ways to love and serve those around us. These are all ways to, as Hebrews 10 says, “motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” May we take a lesson from these horses and recognize the great benefit that comes from partnering with other believers—for accountability, for encouragement, and for support as we seek to do the work the Lord has set before us.

Francine Rivers is a New York Times bestselling novelist who is thrilled to bring readers her first devotional, Earth Psalms: Reflections on How God Speaks through Nature (Tyndale). You can find her online at www.francinerivers.com.