So, I’m sick. It started about three days ago with a tingling in the back of my throat. “No big deal,” I thought, “I’m sure it’s nothing.” Two days later I’m coughing and sneezing. My body hurts, I’m running a fever and my throat is sore. So much for “no big deal.”
I’ve got all sorts of medicines to deal with the coughing and the runny nose and the sneezing, but nothing that actually deals with the sickness itself. At least treating the symptoms makes it more bearable. In the meantime, I’ve been researching a lot of vitamins and herbs that will help vanquish this demon from my body.
On the plus side, while I’m wasting away in bed I have a moment to think. There’s so much to think about. There’s graduation and before then the National Broadcast Society trip to New York City. Pretty soon I’ll be out in the world.
I hear it’s a crazy world out there. We’ve got a presidential election coming up, the situation in Syria is getting worse, and I can already hear the war drums beating for a conflict with Iran.
Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti stated: “It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” Like the medicines for all my symptoms, we find ways to make dealing with the world more bearable through distractions. Whether it’s a dead-end relationship, weekend folly or vapid TV shows, we all find ways to treat the symptoms of living in a profoundly sick society.
The thing is, in order to start treating the sickness, you’ve got to know what you’re dealing with, and what we’re dealing with is a society that values profit over people and views money as speech. In short, our society has fallen in love with money.
The beautiful thing about going to a Christian university is that while we are here, we are not only equipped with the tools needed to survive in this world, but we are also groomed to be a force of love in this world. If we are going to do some good in this world, we’re going to have to roll up our sleeves and get dirty. We’re going to have to go places where we feel uncomfortable. We’re going to have to work with and especially love people who don’t share our beliefs. In short, we’re going to have to love our neighbors.
To love your neighbor as yourself is more than simply a quaint mantra that mirrors the Golden Rule. It is a commission to care for other children of God so much so that you improve their condition. Direct action and interaction with our neighbors is the means by which we’ll have a lasting impact on the fabric of our society. In doing this, we create a community that extends beyond social clubs and missions teams. In doing this, we are stating through our actions that we value God’s creations more than man’s.
Simply put, we’re going to have to go out and love somebody. We can’t be so heavenly bound that we’re no earthly good.
