Understanding why we gather can help guide how we gather with the hope of greater fruit from the gathering.  Knowing the telos or the purpose of gathering is important.  Broadly speaking, gathering has internal and external goals.  Internally, we are wired for relationships as we possess the image of God in man from creation itself which includes a relational aspect (see my paper on the Image of God in Man – coming soon).  Externally, the call to take dominion of the world through stewardship of creation requires a collective response which one person cannot fulfill. Understanding how these internal and external goals drive us and work out in life requires wisdom through study of the Bible and discernment of our human natures.

              Slowing down to understand why we gather will offer great insight on how we gather with others for greater fruit.  Animals instinctually gather in families and packs or herds.  In even this there is a telos or goal.  At the simplest level, this gathering is generally for survival.  At a more complex level there are opportunities for group actions which serve the higher goal of survival.  This may be the simple picking bugs off each other’s backs or the size of the herd deterring predator attacks.

              The higher consciousness and nature of mankind reflects similar principles but goes beyond instincts.  It includes complex and willfully chosen acts aimed at higher telos than simple survival.  Yes, individual and collective mankind pursue survival of self and species, but other values and goals are also pursued which do not directly extend survival.  Instead, they work to add to the pleasure and value of survival as well as directed towards obeying our creator, the means of our greatest fulfillment.

              Some of the higher goals of this higher nature arise from internal drives.  At times, even with humanity, the goals of gathering may be little more than the simple avoidance of being alone which is an inherently undesirable state if prolonged. From our creation, we were designed to “not be alone”.  We generally feel and function better when living in relationship.  At times, our goals for gathering go beyond this simple avoidance of solitude and focus attention on specific others in a particular relationship.  Affection towards another specific person in friendship or romance drives a desire to gather with them.  One desires proximity to that person in time and space more than just one’s imagination.  At other times, the natural bonds of family drive the affection and thus the gathering.  Parents usually like to keep their children close and siblings, though rivalrous at times, generally have an attachment driving a desire to gather.  Extended family share a bond that presses a gathering drive.

              Some of the higher goals arise from external drives or at least drives that extend beyond the internal.  External goals such as building something usually require a gathering of effort to create.  External goals such as providing a service usually require a gathering of multiple inputs of mind and body.  External goals of taking dominion and governing over a geographical area requires a gathering in as much as a going out to occupy.  Works of human production are greater when done collectively than when performed individually.

              Each of these sounds philosophical and dry at first, yet understanding how each drive you, can empower you to pursue the greatest fulfillment.  Greater fulfillment can be obtained when even the smaller tasks of life are achieved together.  The greatest human achievements arise from the collective efforts of such gatherings.  Mankind finds its greatest fulfilment in fulfilling the callings of God implicit in creation.  The implicit calling to gather in response to the “not good” of Adam being alone and the explicit command to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.  Taking dominion in obedience and for the sake of joyful fulfillment requires gathering.

Next in this series… “How We Gathered in the Past”.