I've had a number of people talk with me about my last post.  Deep inside their hearts they agree with the "village" concept, but have been burnt in the process of opening up.  Indeed...not everyone that wishes to live in our "villages" will be a perfect neighbor!  Hence this village building is a lot of work.  It takes time, effort, thought and more effort.  So I know...you are saying..."Mark how can that be worth it?" 

Here's where Harvard takes over.  They conducted a revealing study examining the impact of relationships on health (Alameda County Study).  They tracked 7000 people over 9 years and pulled out some amazing findings!  For example, people who had bad health habits (smoking, poor eating habits, obesity or excessive alcohol use) but strong social ties lived significantly longer than people who had great health habits but were isolated.  In fact, the researchers concluded that isolated people are 3 times more likely to die than those with strong social connections.  Robert Putnam, in another Harvard study, put it this way "if you belong to no social group but decide to join one...just one...you will cut your risk of dying over the next year in half".  Wow.  That's the positive impact of a good village. 

So the relevance of God's statement, "it's not good for man to be alone...." is made clearer to us through such studies.  Having a village is not an option...but a necessity for a healthy and happy life.  But how can we be wise in the process?  I will pick that up in my next post.  Until then make it your prayer to discover your village...and perhaps be part of a village for someone else.