{"id":3881,"date":"2017-02-12T09:00:23","date_gmt":"2017-02-12T15:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=3881"},"modified":"2017-01-21T21:48:23","modified_gmt":"2017-01-22T03:48:23","slug":"choose-not-to-be-an-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=3881","title":{"rendered":"Choose Not to Be an Island"},"content":{"rendered":"

One More Year of Choices\u2026 <\/em><\/p>\n

By Barbara Dahlgren<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"The phrase \u201cno man is an island\u201d was first written in 1624 by the famous Elizabethan poet, minister, and scholar John Donne in his Devotions – Meditation XVII<\/em>. The poem is quite dated by today\u2019s standards, but it inspired a song with lyrics that ring true for all generations.<\/p>\n

No man is an island<\/p>\n

No man stands alone<\/p>\n

Each man\u2019s joy is joy to me<\/p>\n

Each man\u2019s grief is my own<\/p>\n

It goes on to say that all men are our brothers and we need one another. And although I should welcome this lofty concept, sometimes I just want to be a hermit and get away from everyone. Some are energized by the company of others; I am fatigued.<\/p>\n

Visions of being alone on a tropical island enter my mind. My island would never get above 75 degrees, since I don\u2019t like hot weather. (If I\u2019m having a vision, might as well have one tailor made for me.) Not having to deal with the quirks of fickle people is appealing. Of course, in all honesty, to be truly happy on the island I would need TV, Internet, and a cell phone. I don\u2019t need the cell phone to call people, but I have my photos, games, and music to consider. I might need room service, but then that would involve other people. Life gets so complicated.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the deal\u2026 God is more about community than isolation. He models this in the Trinitarian relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is further exemplified in the grace filled gesture of making salvation available for all mankind so we, too, can enter into that relationship.<\/p>\n

To me, the true meaning of \u201cno man is an island\u201d is that whether I like it or not, we are all interconnected. We are interconnected with God and with each other. This is more than just a physical connection. It\u2019s a spiritual one. God loves us. God loves others. God wants us to love Him. God wants us to love others. (Matthew 22:38-39) God wants us to love one another. (John 15:12)<\/p>\n

God makes it clear that we have responsibilities towards one another. Just search for the phrase \u201cone another\u201d in the Bible and see what pops up. Here are a few examples\u2026<\/p>\n