Like many other families, mine recently traveled to the eastern side of Ohio for a Christmas gathering. The hotel that we stayed in, like many other hotels, offered free reading material in the lobby. I picked up a publication to take a look at while I ate breakfast … The Outreacher: Tuscarawas County’s Guide for Christian Events. The publication was filled with inspirational articles, advertisements for local Christmas Eve services, a crossword puzzle that used Scriptures as the clues, a list of Bible Scriptures to read that month (as a culmination of “reading the Bible in a year”), and ads for local businesses that proclaimed the owners’ faith (How do I know that? Because also included in the publication was a Pledge of Faith form for businesses to complete if they wanted to advertise!). The businesses weren’t at all unusual — a veterinarian office, a flower shop, the local hospital, a Realtor, and an air-duct cleaning service, just to name a few. Businesses not unlike ones that we have here in Sidney, businesses that we patronize almost every week. “So what?” you ask. Well, here is my thought.

We’ve all heard the phrase, “It takes a whole village to raise a child” but do we really know what that means? This is actually an old African (Igbo and Yoruba) proverb, and is practiced in theory throughout the continent. It is a beautiful symbol of what they believe: Children are a blessing that God has given to the community. According to Wikipedia, this proverb illustrates their emphasis on “values of family relationships, parental care, self-sacrificing concern for others, sharing and even hospitality.” In a nutshell, because God has given the community such a precious gift, it is up to the community to see that each child is raised with these values instilled in them. Please don’t misunderstand: I am not suggesting that the community take the place of parental involvement, but that the parents are supported by the community. This is not an easy task, for any community in any country, at any time. 2016 in Sidney, Ohio, is no different. Times are tough. Raising children is tough. Practicing these values can be tough, even if we fully believe them.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reminds us that working together is not only a way to make this happen, but that we have all been called to serve God and to serve others. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” My interpretation of this is that we are better when we are not alone: We are stronger and wiser, and we can do so much more in this world if we work together.

This is such a wonderful community that we live in! Just look around and you will see that individuals and organizations are working hard TOGETHER to make improvements to our corner of the world, whether it’s through the schools, the downtown and other local businesses, the city and county officials, the churches, the neighborhoods, or any other combination. Personally, I DO believe that “it takes a whole village to raise a child” and when I say “child,” I don’t just mean a young person. I mean “a child of God,” which we ALL are. It takes ALL of us working together to strengthen our community, so that as a community, Sidney, Ohio, can “do so much more in this world.” Won’t you join me in praying that as Ecclesiastes says, Sidney will become a “cord of three strands that is not quickly broken”? Grace and peace to all of you in this new year, children of God.