Great article on the challange of being in community with people radically different from yourself:

More pointedly, I am coming to terms with the fact that community is not about people like me. It's easy to be in community, or at least on congenial terms, with people who are similar to me: similar musical tastes, similar clothing tastes, similar discussion interests, similar stages of life, similar political leanings, similar biting critiques of other people.

I guess that's one of the things I like about going to a relatively small church. I'm forced to bump up against people that are the totally different than me. I'm forced to interact, get to know, learn to love and walk through conflict with people that are the opposite of me in terms of age, political leanings, sense of humor and every other category I can think of.

Look around the room next time you’re gathered with other followers of Jesus. See the different faces: some attractive, some homely, some happy, some depressed, some attentive, some distracted, some awake, some sleeping. Think about the person you just bumped into at the door whom you’ve never met beyond an awkward initial conversation. Think about the person across the room you would rather not have to talk to, let alone see. Think about the people you’re glad you haven’t seen this time. Did I hear a sigh of relief?

If only Jesus had formed a community out of something other than ordinary, irritating, disagreeable, quirky people. Life would certainly have been easier for all of us. But also less true

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If left to my own, I wouldn't interact with some of the people that I interact with at church. I'd rather stay with people just like me. It'd be easier. As the article says, my church is full people who who are "other than ordinary, irritating, disagreeable, quirky people". Just like me.