Finding Your Tribe
"Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. - 1 Peter 5:2,3
Who is your tribe?
We hear that word all the time.
"Tribe."
What does that even mean?
tribe /trīb/- a social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities linked by social, economic, religious, or blood ties, with common culture and dialect, typically having a recognized leader.
The simple urban dictionary definition - a group of friends that become family.
We all long to be part of "family." Family is where you are known, the people you do life with.
While you may not like the word "tribe" we can't overlook the fact that it is being used everywhere. Bloggers are blogging about it. Business professionals are studying it. And I believe it is because it's in our DNA. We were not meant to do life alone.
And the bigger reality, God commands us to create it.
When God created man in the beginning, He gave two jobs.
1. be fruitful - fill the earth with image bearers.
2. subdue the earth - tend to and take of all creation and every living thing on the earth.
What if I told you that God has placed you in your very place to live here on earth...that He appointed the time and boundaries of your inhabitants. (Acts 17:26).
He established your birth place, your parents, your family, where you are this very moment.
So all we really need to do is look around and see who might be our flock, our tribe.
Even in he Bible this was true. Each tribe was established by God!
And the GREAT NEWS...we are all part of the Tribe of the Lion of Judah!
But what about subdue?!?
Subdue - taking possession, making use of it...essentially creating order out of the chaos.
As we look at these two commands side by side we see that without "our tribe" it wouldn't possible to tend to all God has created. That is why He created everyone very uniquely with different gifts.
This is what every person is looking for...their part in tending to creation.
We are all part of one tribe, one Lord, one body, one faith, one Spirit..."but grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift." (Ephesians 4:7)
What this says to me...I see this not as the saving grace, but the equipping grace. The same grace that was given to the Apostle Paul to preach to the gentles, measured out by God in His capacity, not Paul's ability.
The "gift" is a supernatural ability to serve God. It's not your natural ability. It goes beyond what you know you can do, to the things far more abundant.
The Charge: Ask God to reveal to you your part in "tending" to His creation, His flock.
The Challenge: Look around you and see who God has already placed in your life. What groups are you a part of, where do you live, where do you do most of your life? Find a need and then step in to meet that need.
The Appeal: Don't do this alone. Grab a few friends to walk through this and challenge each other to walk as Christ walked. Join our community (tribe) and share your experiences.
Jennie Allen, author of Made for This: 40 Days to Living Your Purpose, says, "We were created very different than animals. We were created to build, serve, lead, envision, and get after it. We have the unique talent of being able to see a need and then create a way to meet that need. In that way, we reflect God."
