Reflections on Community

I've been reading a former student's blog. Thanks, J.R., for propelling me into the thinking mode on this topic. I also want to ask what is a "healthy community"? I ask because I am in the process of "becoming healthy", and I've been a believer for 25 years now. God showed me one and a half years ago just what "unhealthy" patterns are in my life, even as a Christian believer! The dying process began then, and like onion layers being peeled off, the dying process continues today. Have I hit rock bottom yet? I sure hope so; but as was pointed out to me just last week, I've still got flesh that needs to die. What does that mean for community? I believe that healthy community can only happen in a Christian community, and even in that community, a HEALTHY community is a very, very small community WITHIN that Christian community. I guess we could picture a pebble being thrown into a calm lake.....the "inner" circles of the ripples are those who are most healed and most healthy...it's a small, safe community of healed and healthy people; rippling outward are other "levels" of community, where vulnerability gets less and less, at least to the degree that we can be vulnerable, and the health of the community becomes less and less healthy as the ripples become wider and wider. I've got 5 "safe" people in my life right now....safe and healthy....and I don't see that number expanding any time soon. And that's OK!!! That I have 5 is an amazing blessing...people who are walking in TOTAL freedom in the Spirit, healed and delivered and know what unconditional love REALLY means. They are in the inner ripple; from there come others who are in the outer ripples, but they are not "safe"...this is not a judgement of them, just a fact of life...we still experience community together, just at a very, very different level, and that's OK!! I believe it is a reflection of when Jesus was here on the earth: He had Peter, James and John...His inner ripple...then the other 8 disciples as the next ripple, then Judas....then the crowds....what do you think?