Written by Megan Micalizzi, Empowered Faith Communities Relationship Manager
In a world growing noisier and more connected by the second, one ache rings louder than ever: loneliness.
Mother Teresa once said, “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.” Long before digital devices tethered us to endless scrolls and curated lives, she named the silent epidemic we’re still fighting today—an epidemic not of viruses, but of isolation. And now, even as artificial intelligence can mimic conversation, schedule meetings, and answer questions in seconds, it cannot replicate the awkward beauty of eye contact, the pause in a heartfelt conversation, or the sacred space of being fully seen by another soul.
Psalm 68:6 tells us, “God places the lonely in families.” This verse, nestled in a psalm of praise and power, is more than poetry—it’s a promise. It reminds us that connection is not a luxury, but a divine intention. Whether through biological kin, spiritual families, or chosen communities, God’s heart beats for belonging. And in a world increasingly isolated, those of us in leadership are called to create environments that don’t just build teams—but build homes.
The Role of the Leader: Builder of Belonging
The epidemic of loneliness doesn’t just exist outside the office walls—it walks in with us. In boardrooms, behind confident smiles, and on the screens of our remote meetings, people are craving more than direction. They’re longing for connection.
As leaders, our challenge and opportunity is not just to lead with vision, but to lead with heart. This means making space for vulnerability, discomfort, and real relationship.
Researcher Brené Brown reminds us, “True belonging is not passive. It’s a practice that requires us to be vulnerable.” It requires us to lean in when it’s easier to stay distant. To choose presence over productivity. To remember that every person—every team member, volunteer, or neighbor—is carrying an untold story inside them.
Community: The Sacred Answer
Community is not just a feel-good idea—it is a lifeline. It is the modern expression of that Psalm 68:6 promise. Community says, “You are not alone here.”
In our churches, businesses, neighborhoods, and nonprofits, we must create cultures that do more than include—they must embrace. Cultures that make room for awkward introductions, for stories over coffee, for celebration and mourning. Because when we invite people into genuine community, we offer them more than just a seat—we offer them a home.
And it doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, it shouldn’t be. Artificial intelligence can offer streamlined efficiency, but it can never replicate the sacred imperfection of human interaction: the laughter that interrupts a meeting, the tears shared over a loss, the awkward first steps of friendship that slowly become family.
A New Kind of Leadership
The world doesn’t just need more leadership—it needs more warmth in leadership. It needs men and women willing to see beyond metrics and into the hearts of their people. It needs the kind of leader who doesn’t just manage a team, but mothers a movement. Who fathers vision. Who pastors hope. Who shepherds belonging.
As Ruby Bridges said, “Don’t follow the path. Go where there is no path and start a trail.”
Start the trail toward a culture of belonging. Make your boardroom a place of community. Let your ministry, your small group, your classroom, your Zoom call, be the place where the lonely find family. That is leadership at its most divine. That is leadership with heart.
Reflection Questions for Leaders:
Who in your circle may be silently battling loneliness?
How can you create more space for genuine connection in your organization?
What would it look like to lead with warmth this week?
Remember: You don’t have to have all the answers. Just make space at the table—and watch what happens when hearts come home.
