We are greater than I.

Here I sit, on a Saturday night, in a room lit with candles and Christmas lights. I'm in a room surrounded by friends, some are water coloring, others are sketching and others are just talking. There is soft music playing in the background.

My heart is at peace.

But how? I'm not succeeding at anything. I'm not gathering any praise. I'm not making everyone laugh or telling some story they will remember long after I forget it.

I'm just sitting. I'm just listening. I'm dwelling.

I don't do this enough. I don't allow myself to need people, and that's wrong of me.

None of my achievements or failures mean anything without other people. I can't get allow myself to get caught up in what I'm doing or what I think is important so that I miss out on what is happening with other people.

I think God uses people to bring me to where I am. He uses good people to show me my talents and gifts and to speak life into me. He uses bad people so I can learn to trust in Him and see how to love like He loves.

Everything I am is the effect of some sort of human interaction. I have to trust that all the people in my lives are there for some greater purpose. Trusting in this hurts, especially when it is easier to look out for "me and mine."

But I can't live my life that way. If starting today, I never interacted with another person again, what would happen? How different would my life be different?

There would be no growth, no laughter, no pain (which through contrast actually shows how good peace can feel) without others.

Often times I think I pull myself away from community in an attempt to "have a time of personal growth" when, in reality, all of my growth comes at the hands of others. They are the tools God uses to shape me into "His workmanship" (Ephesians 2:10).

I don't have to the top of the social tier, remember everyone's names or be the life of the party.

I just need to remember people.

I just need to fight for people.

Because without them... I'm nothing.