Isolation vs Community

The English writer John Donne is perhaps most famous for writing the words, “No man is an island.” Donne was communicating the fact that in order to thrive, we must depend on others and the gift of community. The Bible teaches us that for the follower of Jesus Christ, living one’s life within the larger Body of Christ is not optional, but necessary. When life is spent apart from others, we can come undone. Perhaps that’s why it’s not surprising to learn that over the last couple of years of struggling to get through the isolation that came with the pandemic, emergency rooms saw a surge in the number of teenage girls dealing with disordered eating, tic disorders, anxiety, depression, and stress. While there are many contributing factors, we can’t discount disconnection from others. We are reminded that we must always be monitoring our kids as they navigate the already difficult years of adolescence. And, we must guide them into living in the support of Christian community.