Shirley admits that the community she knew as a child was quite inward-focused. Everyone looked the same and had similar backgrounds and beliefs. But the experiences of her life have widened and deepened her sense of community in many ways. College increased her sense of community. A move to a different city increased it yet again. Technology, globalization, transportation, and different opportunities continue to increase it today. While she continues to hold on to the good things and loving people from her childhood background, she is thankful also to have friends across the world from a variety of backgrounds, belief systems, and experiences.

God has envisioned a much larger community than his people in Israel ever imagined. In Isaiah, he says that people from all nations will stream in. All of those people will come rushing to the Lord not because of how great they are, but because of how great God is.

As our idea of community broadens and grows, God will bring people to us from all areas of life. They will have different backgrounds and experiences, but they will be drawn to us because of who God is in our lives. God loves people! He loves you, and he loves everyone who gathers around you. He loves your community and is the reason that it grows to include all types of people. The community that God envisions for his people is not a stagnant one but a growing one.