August 20 | Proverbs 27:17

Kathleen Serio
Aug 20, 2025
2 min read

DAILY READING

REFLECTION

People

By Kathleen Serio

If you have been following along with the “Growing Up In Christ” sermon series journal then today you will be reflecting on either Colossians 3:16 if you worship at Mill Run, or Hebrews 10:24-25 if you worship at Lytham. Both verses pair well with our verse today, Proverbs 27:17.

With these verses we are reminded how God has designed us and desires us to be in community with each other. We are not meant to be alone. After God made Adam, He said that, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). But sometimes we can forget just why being in community with each other is so important. God reminds us why in this passage. He reminds us that being near one another is what allows us to grow, to better ourselves.

I remember when I was first approached and asked to lead a small group. One of my first thoughts was, “what in the world makes me qualified to lead a small group?” But it had nothing to do if I was qualified or not. God calls the unqualified. Think of so many famous names in the Bible and look at what they were like: Abraham was old and full of doubt, Rahab was a prostitute, David had affairs and killed people, Jonah ran away and ignored what he was told, Peter denied knowing Jesus, Zacchaeus was greedy, and yet God used each one of them. Then look at the other people in those stories. Look at how not one of those famous names did what they did alone. Each of those people that God called worked in community with others. It was in that community that they grew. It was in community that those people sharpened each other in their faith.

I never could have imagined what would come from that small group that I felt unprepared to lead. I have gained incredible people in my life. People that I laugh with, that I share troubles with, that I learn from. People that make me question simple answers to religious questions, that make me see different perspectives, and that show me ideas I never could have seen on my own. I try to think of my life without these people and my heart breaks. We are each better thanks to each other. We sharpen each other.

PRAYER

God thank you for the gift of fellowship that you have given us. Thank you for your reminders in the Bible of why we need to be with each other, of why we need to rely on each other. God, I thank you for the people in my life who have sharpened me in my faith journey, and I thank you for all the others that are yet to come.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

KATHLEEN SERIO

I grew up at UALC and have been blessed to have many role models in this church. They encouraged me to pursue my passions including volunteering with Young Kids’ VBS, HSM, teaching Sunday School, small groups, Operation Christmas Child, mission trips, ushering, and more. It has been a joy to go from participating in ministries as a kid to becoming a leader as an adult.