Contests

Life is full of competition.  I find myself wondering what things would be like if the culture of Shillong could be transplanted to New York.  Shillong is a city with a matriarchal foundation.  The women own everything!  When you walk the market, you are bullied, push, and dominated by woman.  They are in charge and they know it.  They walk with confidence, comfortable with the role in society.  Respect, honor, and domination over men are givens; everything else follows.  While you can sense a competitive spirit, it is very different from the male dominated, hormone driven world that New York recognizes.
I am not sure I am ready for a woman-dominated world.  I do find myself longing for a world that is closer to Shillong than to New York.  Just imagine what it would be like if everyone knew that he or she was held in respect and honor.  Just imagine a community that looked to support family members first instead of trying to dominate and control.  Just imagine a society where one knew that choice was ahead of coercion.  Shillong is much closer to this model than New York.
I wonder about transplants because I find God's description of community very different form my own.  I see a world with God when others are naturally put ahead of one's self.  I find God walking and living in a community where people dialogue instead of debate.  I long to know the reality of being able to relax by spending time with family and friends.  There are no contests in this world – everyone knows they can win because the community wins.
I see the promise of great power and truth in this community.  Things happen in communities like this in the past.  Because “God untied the death ropes and raised him up.  Death was no match for him.”  (Acts 2.26)  They can happen again today – with your action and my own.  It starts with the small choices we make when nobody is watching and grows in power as we live with others embracing this approach.