Humanity Is Community

“Every child is an asset. Every adult is an asset builder.” -Dr. Owen Cardwell

Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, January 21, 2019

This weekend I officiated a celebration of life service for a twenty-two-year-old who lost her battle with addiction and mental illness. We did not know each personally, but I caught a glimpse of who she was in the stories her mother and aunt shared with me. This young adult was fierce, gifted, passionate, artistic, self-sacrificing, and caring. She never met a stranger, never overlooked someone who was hurting, and never made anyone feel unwelcome. Those who came forward to share during the service told stories of powerful ways this one young adult changed their lives and reminded them they were worthy. What a huge loss the world experienced when this young adult transitioned from this life.

One of my core contentions is that humanity was created to be in community. It is in community that hopelessness becomes hope, deep wounds heal, and unworthiness blossoms into confidence. When one member of a community is having a bad, or hard day, others in the community are able to remind the one hurting one that some days are hard, but they are not alone. Communities take care of each other, enabling and empowering each member to be everything they were designed to be.

Yet sometimes even the community is unable to prevent tragedy. Life happens and with it, chaos, calamity, and crisis. Choices have consequences, and poor decisions alter life trajectories. Sometimes demons and sirens fill heads with lies, and the voices become too loud to silence. Many sacred texts refer to this as a byproduct of human sinfulness or evil in the world. Generations of teachers, rabbis and gurus have debated many theories as they tried to understand the apparent randomness of tragedy. Preventing tragedy is not our role.

Our role as community members is to make sure we see people and respect people. Our role is to engage people, share our lives with people, and relentlessly love people. Our role is to “see every child as an asset” and understand that as adults we are to be “asset builders.” Our role as a community member is to be hope and love and grace in the world.

What are some ways we can live into our roles as community members of University of Lynchburg? Speak to everyone you see on your way to class. Listen more than talk. Ask questions and hear what is said, and what is not said. Forgive. Smile. Offer honest praise. Speak words of edification and empowerment. Stand with those who are oppressed. Be an advocate for the persecuted. Step outside your comfort zone. Join forces with those standing for social justice. Serve others. Call out worth in others. Show respect. Be real. Love abundantly. Don’t hold grudges. Mentor. Volunteer. Invest in others.

How we live matters. May we live empowered by a community who has our back in times of tragedy, but also in times of great joy.

Katrina