lions, and tigers, and oh my!

Proverbs 22:13 (NKJVn)
The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside!
I shall be slain in the streets!”

I've always sympathized with the lazy man in this proverb. Heck... who wants to be et by a lion?

Our church, my community group, and my friends and I have been having these teeth-pulling, head-ache inducing discussions on community. It seems easy to establish community until you get down to the nuts and bolts of the matter. It is hard to love the brethren. It is hard to be hospitable. It is hard to not love self more. At least, I have been finding it hard. Part of me has thought that "they" have the personality for it. "They" find it easy. "They" don't understand just how hard it is. I've wondered why the book we've been reading together, Face to Face by Steve Wilkins, hasn't been more practical. Sure, he does a great job explaining why we should be lovers of the Body of Christ, and, yeah, he exploits a profane amount of scripture verses to press his point. But does he tell me who to call, what to say, when to have them over, or where I'm going to put them all in my small home?! Oh no. He only tells me to "persecute hospitality," to be an enemy to my friend's sin, that I can't complain about not having friends if I'm not friendly. See. No help at all.

There's a lion in the street. It's just too dangerous to venture out today.