The Joy of Being Like Others

At first sight, joy seems to be connected with being different. When you receive a compliment or win an award, you experience the joy of not being the same as others. You are faster, smarter, or more beautiful, and it is that difference that brings you joy. But such joy is very temporary. True joy is hidden where we are the same as other people: fragile and mortal. It is the joy of belonging to the human race. It is the joy of being with others as a friend, a companion, a fellow traveler. This is the joy of Jesus, who is Emmanuel: God-with-us.” —Henri J. M. Nouwen, Bread for the Journey

There is a deep and abiding joy in simply belonging—to the human race, to one another, to the shared journey of life. We are not meant to walk alone. From the beginning, God designed us for community, for friendship, and for love. The laughter of a friend, the comforting presence of a companion, the understanding glance of a fellow traveler—these are glimpses of the joy that comes from being in community with others. This joy is not dependent on perfect circumstances but is rooted in the sacred truth that we are never alone. As today’s devotional reading points out, this is the joy of Jesus, the One called Emmanuel, "God with us." He embraced the fullness of human experience—not from a distance, but by walking among us, sharing meals, weeping at sorrow, rejoicing at weddings, and touching the lives of the lonely and outcast. In Him, we see that joy is found in presence—in being with and for one another. As we open our hearts to the gift of companionship, we step into the very joy of Christ, who continues to walk with us, binding us together in love. —DH