Life Together

I've been reading through Dietrich Bonhoeffer's powerful work on community called Life Together and ran across this fantastic quote this morning:

"The individual must realize but his hours of aloneness react upon the community. In his Solitude he can Thunder and besmirch the fellowship, or he can strengthen and how low it. Every Act of self-control of the Christian is also a service to the fellowship."

A good reminder that what we do in private does matter. It does affect others, even if in a seemingly subtle way. In fact, for Christians, our private lives are what gives us the right to minister publicly. But even more important than Ministry is the nature of love and community. It's pretty empowering to think that even how we use our private time can be an act of love toward other Christians.