The Erosion of Community
Out of all the factors contributing to homelessness, I would argue lack of community is the most ubiquitous. Many of us have community, a support network, a place where we feel like we belong. For those who don’t have these things, life is much different. We can all have periods of our lives where we do have a community, and other times when we don’t have community. If you are in a place now, or have been, where you feel like you don’t have anyone on your side or that you don’t belong, you know how lonely that can be. Beyond feelings of loneliness, fear, anxiety, sadness and anger, a complete loss of community coupled with other factors can have much more severe consequences, such as homelessness. Homelessness isn’t just a lack of shelter; but it is also a lack of a home, a place of belonging. It’s a symptom of a fractured social fabric.
The Practical Effects of Community
Communities have historically served as a safety net, providing support, resources, and a sense of identity. However, modern society has witnessed a gradual decline in community bonds. Factors such as urbanization, economic instability, and the rise of digital communication have all played a role in weakening interpersonal connections.
One of the most significant consequences of dwindling community ties is increased social isolation. When individuals lack a support network of friends, family, or neighbors, they are more susceptible to mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety. We see people for whom this is true at Feed My Sheep. These conditions, if left untreated, can spiral into homelessness, particularly for those without access to adequate healthcare resources.
In addition to mental health considerations, communities often serve as avenues for economic opportunity, whether through job referrals, informal lending networks, or shared resources. As communities fracture, individuals may find themselves economically marginalized, unable to access stable employment or affordable housing. When we have a friend or family member going through a tough time, we do what we can to look out for them. For people who don’t have real friends or families who care about them, they also don’t have that kind of support during the difficult periods of their life. Economic instability, coupled with a lack of community support, can also push individuals into homelessness.
In close-knit communities, there’s often an informal safety net in place to catch those who fall on hard times. Neighbors may provide temporary accommodation, meals, or assistance in finding employment. However, as communities disintegrate, these safety nets weaken, leaving individuals with fewer options when facing crises such as job loss or eviction. Homelessness is not just a housing issue; it’s a symptom of deeper societal problems, including the erosion of community. Rebuilding community ties is essential for addressing homelessness effectively and creating a more inclusive society where everyone has a place to call home, and people who care for one another.
God’s Design For Us
In addition to being a direct factor of homelessness, I also see how a lack of community indirectly contributes to homeless by causing all sorts of negative emotions and poor choices. As a believer in the Bible, it’s difficult to consider this issue without being reminded that being in community is part of what God designed us for, and how the fracture of relationships is the result, as well as the root, of sin. We can see this even in the beginning of the first book of the Bible, where God says it is not good for a man to be alone, creates a woman to be man’s companion, and God himself spends time in relationship with the people He created. When sin enters the world, these relationships are fractured, first between us and God, but also with each other.
Thankfully Jesus came to earth to restore our relationship with God and each other, but as imperfect people, we still fall short of God’s design for us. God’s intention for community shapes our emotional and spiritual health, and how a lack thereof can lead to guilt, shame, depression, anger, and sin.From the Genesis narrative, where God declared, “It is not good for man to be alone,” to Jesus’ emphasis on love and fellowship, the Bible is replete with teachings on the importance of community. As deep of a mystery as this is, we are created in the image of a triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – a community in perfect unity. As reflections of this divine nature, we are wired for connection, meant to experience the richness of life in relationship with God and with one another. Two of the initial consequences in the breakdown of this design, due to our sin and the sin of others, are the feelings of guilt and shame.
The Consequences of Loneliness
The feelings of guilt and shame, often arising from a sense of disconnection – from God, from others, and from our true selves, are related but separate, and are feelings we have all had at times. Guilt is the idea that we have broken a rule and we are responsible for that. Shame is the idea that because of our guilt, we are unworthy of certain things, such as love or dignity, or mercy. Followers of Jesus, through His sacrifice, have been declared innocent and worthy, but even we are still susceptible to those feelings. When we stray from God’s design for community, whether through isolation, broken relationships, or neglecting to seek forgiveness, we open ourselves to the corrosive effects of sin. In the absence of accountability and support, guilt festers into shame, driving us further from the healing embrace of community, an earthly representation of God’s love and forgiveness.
For those living in perceived or actual lack of community, soon after guilt and shame, come depression and anger. Being or feeling alone, even by choice, leads to sadness and depression. Of course, some people are introverts and need more time to themselves, but we’re talking about true loneliness, having no one in your life who cares about you and no community to support you. It’s often easy to identify those who have gotten to this point, where they have been hurt, abandoned and unloved. They go from having regret and depression to a deep-seated discontent and anger. Anger is a natural response to the pain of isolation and rejection. When we feel disconnected from others, whether by choice or circumstance, resentment can build, simmering beneath the surface until it erupts in explosive outbursts or passive-aggressive behavior. Without the buffer of community to provide perspective, empathy, and most of all reconciliation, anger becomes a barrier to healing, perpetuating cycles of hurt and alienation.
The Point of Rebellion
This is where a lack of community has followed its course and, in addition to the direct factor it already is, becomes an indirect factor to homelessness as well by causing other factors. At its core, sin is a rejection of God’s intended order – a rebellion against the relational harmony for which we were created. When we turn away from God and isolate ourselves from His people, we inevitably fall prey to the allure of sin. Whether it’s the pursuit of selfish desires, the idolization of worldly comforts, poor choices for coping mechanisms, or the exploitation of others for personal gain, darkness thrives in the absence of the light of accountability and community. Depression can cause mental breakdowns, anger and resentment can cause violence and abuse, loneliness can lead to substance abuse, and the guilt and shame can be self-fulfilling and lead to pushing others away. The cycle perpetuates and relationships and lives are destroyed.
Rediscovering Who God Created Us To Be
It’s a story we see played out far too often in the lives of people we talk to at Feed My Sheep. Sometimes the isolation and broken relationships began when someone was a child, at the hands of an abusive or absent family member, sometimes later in life through their own choices, but the result is the same, and the stories are too similar to ignore. The good news is that God’s grace extends even to the brokenness of our relational lives. Through the redemptive work of Christ, we are invited back into communion with God and one another, restoring the bonds of fellowship that sin seeks to sever.
As followers of Christ, we are called to embody His love and compassion, creating spaces of belonging where the wounded can find healing, the guilty can find forgiveness, and the estranged can find reconciliation. We can love because we’ve been loved by God, we can forgive because we’ve been forgiven, we can reconcile with each other because God has reconciled us to Himself through Christ.
God’s word is clear on how we should live in relation with each other, and I believe most followers of Jesus strive to live those commands out well, but I would challenge us to grow our circle of community, broaden our idea of who is our neighbor whom we’re commanded to love. I’m not claiming it’s an instant solution to homelessness, but I do know it’s the best place to start. There are many people walking around our neighborhoods who don’t know they’re loved, don’t believe anyone cares about them, and don’t feel like they’re worthy of anything better.
Let’s do what we can to show them they’re wrong.
