Group Benefits: It’s Time to Re-Enroll

It’s that time of the year again when employees with employer-sponsored medical benefits have to choose their coverage. Employers across the nation announce their benefits through various means, such as emails, text blasts, posters, Q&A sessions, and benefit fairs. You review your benefits to see what’s offered and make any necessary changes or additions. Then, you consider the cost and make further decisions based on your needs. On a personal note, I find the cost of medical coverage to be excessively high, even higher than the height of a giraffe’s neck. Well, that’s my rant for now!

If you’re familiar with group benefits, you’ll know that they’re generally less expensive when purchased collectively. Don’t believe me? Try buying it as an individual and let me know how it goes. Don’t worry, you don’t have to experience it firsthand; I’ll tell you. It’s incredibly expensive. And what else is expensive? Being without community. The Heavenly Father designed us to be in community with one another. We have families, gatherings, marriages, raising families, friends groups, work colleagues, and church. The word of God emphasizes this:

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT) 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

This scripture from Hebrews provides us with explicit instructions to persevere. As you may already know, life is challenging, filled with various obstacles such as challenges, trials, thoughts, burdens, and more. This scripture of Hebrews emphasizes the importance of persevering within a community. Here are your instructions: 

1. Motivate one another to share love and do good.

2. Gather together.

3. Encourage one another.

For those who know me, they know that I’m very active in my church. I serve on a team, volunteer occasionally, and am part of a men’s group that meets regularly. Now, let me tell you about the other members of our church community. There’s Tony, Jeff, Alex, Anthony (Turbo), Steven, Joaquin, William, and D. Rose. We don’t just attend church on Sundays and meet on Mondays; we also hang out, go to dinner, encourage and support one another, and pray for and with each other. Through our church, we’ve come together as a strong community. King David emphasized this in Psalm 92:13 (New Living Translation), stating, “For they have been transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God.” King David understood the significance of being part of the community within the Heavenly Father’s house, as it would enable one to “flourish.” I, for one, would certainly want to flourish.

I want to share this as I close. We’ve all heard some terrible stories about certain churches. Even the comedian Druski recently released a viral skit highlighting some of the negative aspects of some churches. However, it’s important to remember that not all churches are like that. I encourage you to join a church that inspires you to love and do good, teaches the word of God, and is thriving. It’s time to Re-Enroll.

Next Step:

Think about how you can purposefully nurture deeper relationships within your community to support others in their spiritual growth, and how it might also enrich your faith and growth.

God bless you, God keep you. God loves you and I love you too!