No.Nonsense.

A couple of weeks ago, my pastor’s sermon inspired my column, and he’s done it again. Today he was talking about community and he asked the question, “do you have someone who challenges you?” I had planned to write about something else but when he asked this question, it resonated with me and I wanted to share my thoughts.

Our lives are not meant to be lived alone, bearing the weight of it on our shoulders only. From the foundation of the world, we were created to live in community with others. This concept is not just to provide us fellowship but to give us accountability.

If you think of the whole concept of Alcoholics Anonymous, you are given a sponsor and a community to help support you on the road to recovery. They are also there to provide guidance when you are walking a path that could lead to relapse. And they celebrate your victories with you. I’ve never had an issue with addiction but I understand the structure and its purpose- to provide you a community.

As parents we understand that permissiveness is not the way to raise healthy and productive children into responsible adults. We must challenge them. We must hold them accountable. We must tell them to stop if an action they are taking will cause them hurt. We must lovingly guide them to become the people they are intended to be.

As employees we understand that we become better when our supervisors challenge us. We are more productive and dependable when we accept that challenge and consistently work to improve.

And as people, we need those in our lives who will look at us and say, “what are you doing?” We need those who will warn us of the dangers ahead on the road we are walking. We need people who will give us alternative things to consider than just our limited perspective. We need those who will walk with us through our failures and celebrate our victories and stick with us in the in-between.

If we surround ourselves with yes-men and sycophants who will never say the hard things to us, we become lesser versions of ourselves. We are meant for more, but we will only achieve it when we understand that a challenge from someone who cares about us comes from a place of love and is meant to take us to our highest heights.