The Ways of ProsperitySample

God Wants You to Prosper Socially  

Our prosperity does not occur in isolation. Have you ever had family members in conflict and had it impact your mood, thoughts, or physical energy—even if you were not involved? When one part of a whole suffers, we all suffer. Recognizing that we were created as parts of a whole gives us a broader vision for the prosperity that is available to us! Those with strong communities reap beautiful benefits and tend to be happier and feel more secure and more fulfilled. 

God Himself is our model as he created community within the Trinity. He is a God who loves connectedness, and as we partner with His vision for our communities, we start to break down barriers socially, racially, and socioeconomically as well as any other barrier that separates us from love. But how might we do this practically? Building emotional intelligence is key to social prosperity, and this process starts with empathy. That is, the ability to be able to put ourselves in the shoes of another. Many people missed the signs of Jesus because they were blinded by their own thoughts, culture, or perceptions. Those whose eyes were open to see the signs could prosper. When we only look from our perspective, we will miss the signs, needs, and treasure in people around us. We will also spend a lot of time in conflict instead of in communication and unity. 

The way we start to read social signs is by recognizing that everyone sees things differently based on their upbringing, past, and experience. When a vibrant, emotionally intelligent community tackles projects like inclusion, hunger, and social justice, progress can be made. And as others around us start to prosper, we also start to prosper in greater ways than ever before.