Busier Than a One-Armed Paper Hanger

As I write this, I'm watching a carpenter fix the roof of a structure on my property. He is tremendously skilled. He measures, cuts, and screws down plywood with real precision. To my untrained eye, he's doing a great job. Everything is aligned, secure, and foundationally sound for the next phase of the project.

The only part that puzzles me is that he's doing the whole thing by himself. Every truss he installed, he did alone. Measure it. Cut it. Haul it up onto the supports. Run the guide line. Secure it and make sure it lines up with the roofline. Then on to the plywood...same sequence, one sheet at a time.

I'm not a carpenter...very far from it. My son got that gift; I didn't. But I do know vision, strategy, process, and execution really well. And I can't help wondering what this would look like if he had a partner. Same result, but more efficient, less taxing, and finished sooner.

Have you ever heard someone say they're "busier than a one-armed paperhanger"? It means extremely busy. The saying is often traced back to a 1908 O. Henry story that describes someone as busy as a one-armed man with nettle rash pasting on wallpaper. (I'm not sure anyone even hangs wallpaper anymore!) But what a crazy visual. The old wallpaper was hard work. You had to cut each strip to length, brush paste on the back or moisten the adhesive, gather it up, get it on the wall, and slide it until the pattern matched the strip next to it. Try that with one arm and you'll see "extremely busy" in real time.

Now picture the same job with a partner.

I want to hold onto that picture, because God never designed us to live the life of faith with one arm.

We Were Built for Community

One of the foundational building blocks of the church is community, and the early church did this really well. Acts 2:42–47 (ESV) gives us a window into what it looked like:

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Nowhere in that passage do you find "Lone Ranger" believers. Their community was a daily rhythm. It protected them, deepened their relationships, provided for those in need, and let them experience the favor of God and others...all while they kept sharing the story of Jesus. What an amazing season of "firsts"!

Here's what stands out to me:

• The promise was fulfilled. The Messiah had come and fulfilled every prophecy.

• They learned together. There was a new covenant and a new teaching to process. Some taught, others asked questions, and together they learned faster than they ever could alone.

• Awe led to new expressions of worship. A diverse group of people responded to the same truth in fresh ways.

• Signs and wonders followed dependence. They sought help from God and from each other.

• Diversity lived in unity. People from very different backgrounds became one body.

• Generosity met needs. Each person's generosity combined into one shared source of support.

• Daily encouragement kept them aligned. They affirmed, encouraged, and sharpened one another every day.

• Meals became ministry. The table became a place for relationship, conversation, and growth...beyond their own families.

• Worship was both shared and personal. Praising God together reaffirmed each person's own relationship with Him.

• Their lives drew others in. Under the Law, people were told what to do. Under this new teaching, believers' lives became the living model of a growing faith...and the Lord added to their number daily.

What This Looks Like Today

Most churches today live this out through small groups. We gather corporately, usually on the weekend, and then break that large gathering into smaller circles where people find the community they need to grow in their relationship with God.

I've been in a small group since high school...more than forty-five years. In every season of life, I've had a small group of people I did life with every week. I've watched many of the things on that list come to life in those rooms.

Have there been issues? Of course. People are people. Some come into a group and help it grow. Some come looking for a lifeline because their reserves are depleted. Some know so little about God that they have more questions than you have answers. And some come because they have nowhere else to turn. Every one of those is a challenging, and fair, reason to be there.

I've also heard some tough stories where a group just didn't work out for someone. To both sides of those stories, I say: I get it. If a group isn't working, it's okay to part ways and find a new one. If we joined a class or a fitness group that wasn't a fit, we'd look for another. We'd keep going until we found relationships that clicked. Same here. If one group doesn't work, don't quit on community...find one that does.

Take Someone With You

Groups matter because our souls crave relationship. And community doesn't only happen in a Bible study. It can grow around a hobby, a sport, a shared interest, an activity, or a subject you're learning...the list goes on and on.

I can talk about Jesus in almost any setting. Not because of the surroundings or the topic, but because whenever other people are involved, God builds a bridge...just like He did in the early church. I pray every day that my relationship with God will honor and glorify Him. Whether I'm at the gym, a Bible study, a ballgame, the grocery store, or the library, He goes with me...and He uses those moments to build relationships with others.

The challenge is simple:

• Find your community.

• Bring your best to it.

• Learn what you don't know.

• Share what you know, and what you have, with others.

• Take a step closer to God.

• And take someone with you on the journey.

One arm gets you busy. Two hands, and a few more beside you, get you somewhere. Who's beside you this week?