The Established Path of Discipleship

“You read my T-shirt. That’s enough social interaction for today.” Wearing this T-shirt lets everyone know I am an introvert. Even without the announcement of the T-shirt, people readily discover I am an introvert within the first few moments of conversation. My clumsy attempts at small talk expose my identity. And yet, the T-shirt brings a smile to people’s faces and the occasional comment, “I like your shirt.”

I am an introvert, and I like people. Those statements are not contradictory. I need solitude because I must think. I must think and process what I am reading, hearing, and believing. Being alone, which is never alone, gives me the fuel I need to connect—to connect with others. As I connect with God through his Word in the solitary moments of my life, he awakens the need in my heart to share with others.

Once awakened, I am ready to talk to people. This is more than conversation; it is the mutual sharing of our connection in Christ. I get to tell my brothers and sisters what has been brewing in my heart all week. I can listen to them more intently because the solitude has sharpened my focus, tuning my ears to the rhythm of Christ in us. This is Christian community or fellowship (koinonia), and it cannot be adequately described with catchphrases like “doing life together.”

And herein lies one of the beautiful things we have in Christ. Because we are one in Christ, we connect on a level impossible for us before we knew Christ. In Christ, the ebullient extrovert, the melancholy introvert, and everyone in between are joined in an unbreakable supernatural bond. It is a unique affection empowered by the Spirit who gave us the good news (1 Thess. 2:8). Enjoy it!