things that bring us together as a family or a community are often sad.....i'm not sure why this is, other than that when things are going good, we dont seem to need each other as much maybe. and i'm so sorry it takes hardship or tragedy for us to reach out....but i find it comforting that we can and do... in times of trouble it often does take a village. we get together to pray, we bring food, cut grass, offer rides, babysit - all the things that are necessary when someone is suffering.....we go out of our way to show we care....when the reality is we always care....we just dont always show it.
its in times of trouble we put aside our differences and look for our common ground.....this is where COMMUNITY is grounded......The term
community = a
group of interacting people, living in some proximity (i.e., in space, time, or relationship) often in a social unit larger than a
household that shares common values and has
social cohesion. it is a broad term for FELLOWSHIP or organized society. isn't it this fellowship what unites us? regardless of religious beliefs, or social status, or sexual orientation - all of the things that seem to DIVIDE us on a larger scale, seem to melt away within the COMMUNITY when dealing with hardship.
i wish this was a lesson we could illustrate on a grander scale - both nationally and globally. after all, there are a ton of parents and children out there tonight who are praying for keegan....some know him well, some not at all -but everyone is united in their hope for his recovery.....as we all should be. in this instance, keegan's well being IS our own - his family could be ours and we cant hear his story without feeling that clutch in our gut. so we do the right thing, because that is what is called for!
In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it.
its time that we learn that lesson on a larger scale....we are facing both national and global issues that require this kind of community healing. and the irony is that we have the technology to work on these issues on a grand scale, and yet all we hear are negative messages. its past time we tried to start putting aside petty differences for the greater good. now i realize some differences arent petty - there are real arguments out there - serious disagreements and serious political and religious differences in the world - there is no denying that. but at what cost are we clinging to these differences? we dont have to agree on the issues, we just have to agree to disagree - and then move on without malice. its the without malice part that's tough.
i wasnt going to go anywhere near some of these topics, but i figured why not? thats the point of the exercise right? so let's just consider one of our national hot buttons - pro-life/pro choice....probably not a great place to start looking for common ground - but a good place to make the argument. these are fairly black and white beliefs - you either believe you can kill people or you can't....well unless you are pro-life in an abortion sense but also believe in the death penalty....or believe in a just war.....i know people split hairs over the "unborn child" part of the killing - taking the life away from an "innocent", as opposed to a criminal - or god forbid, someone fighting against our "best interests".....and then there is the pro-choice....its a bit more clear cut in that it really addresses personal autonomy....however it does cross over into the whole contraception/regulation field - can't someone be pro-choice but anti free contraception? i dont know.....the point is that even tho the lines blur, this is an ABSOLUTE sticking point in our culture....it affects our COMMUNITY in every way - this argument is played out in churches and schools and governments on a regular basis - and always affects our elections. and i get it - people feel PASSIONATELY about this.....one way or the other - and they should - its an incredibly significant issue. but it goes back to the WHY DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE RIGHT??
"And I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in shewing that religion & Govt will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together." James Madison
just because christians believe that life begins at conception, doesn't mean that athiests do - and even though there are a lot more christians out there, that doesn't inherently make them RIGHT! might does not necessarily mean right!! and just because someone believes in a woman's right to choice, it doesnt mean they don't hold those same christian beliefs....it just seems to me that this is an issue that we have to agree to disagree on....there has to be a compromise - just because something is LEGAL doesn't mean you HAVE to do it....it just means you have the opportunity....legalizing abortion did not make anyone change their fundamental belief structure....and if you want to work within your community to educate people about WHY you FEEL abortion is wrong, or contraception is wrong, or the death penalty is wrong - then go for it!! no one is stopping you. just like no one is standing in your doctors office telling you we are over populated and you have to have an abortion.....for every person you meet who is chastized for choosing abortion, you meet another who is chastized for having too many children. this is a NO WIN argument.....so WHY are we trying to make someone RIGHT??
The time is always right to do what is right. ~Martin Luther King, Jr ... the hard part is deciding who gets to say WHAT IS RIGHT!! these are issues where we need to follow our conscience - as individuals and as families.....and stop fighting about them.
its like going to war for religious reasons....just like someone is never going to come to our country and convince all of our many different religions that they are misguided.....neither are we going to do that elsewhere.....this is a deeply seated INDIVIDUAL relationship....and it cannot be governed or forced upon anyone. it is always your right to SHARE information - to educate - spread all the good words you want....but you can not force someone to believe something - you may be able to train behavior - but you can not change a spirit - no one in this instance is RIGHT, either....we are just different.
"Government is not reason; it is not eloquence. It is force. And force, like fire, is a dangerous servant and a fearful master." George Washington
SO, if we cant agree on these issues, how will we ever move beyond them? no idea - if i did i'd be the king of the universe....however, i do know that we hold within our power, the ability to LOOK BEYOND these issues - agree to set them aside for the greater good.....stop trying to mold other people into who and what WE BELIEVE they should be, and just let them be themselves.....because if we dont make that move now, before the bigger tragedies strike us nationally and globally - i'm afraid we may be too late. i know thats a little dramatic, but i believe its true - that of course in no way makes me right :) it is up to us, in our generation, to find the commonality within our country and our community.....use the gifts we've been given to bring people together, not shove them apart. band together for the common good....i've learned that its okay to pray even tho you are not totally sure it works - that to me is what compromise is.....you cant make me pray, but you can ask me to and show me why i should.....there is no reason why we can not all live and love in the same space.
i stole this from Keegan's caring bridge site....it was written and quoted by one of his friends, and i love how these kids are pulling together....and finding inspiration:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing
so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may ABOUND IN HOPE
Romans 15:13
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