This past weekend I had the rare opportunity to revisit a church that I had been quite involved in, but had been unable to visit for several years. As I sat in the pew I felt welcomed by those who recognized me and smiled as I came in. As I talked to other congregants I felt so affirmed in my current place in life in my current roles as a mother and a wife, in the quest for employment in my field. You would have thought that I had been a member of the church for years instead of a few months one summer.
The church community has always been hospitable, welcoming in friends and strangers alike. It was as I left how much the church was an affirmation of my person hood (whatever and wherever that is). It reminds me that it is possible to have a tremendous impact on a person and the ability to continue to be a part of a person’s life even in such a short period of time. It causes me to question whether I contribute in the same way to the world around me? To the people that I see: do I affirm life around me, and to strive to do better? To build a better life, a better community, a better world? It is so easy to be insular, particularly today in our world of social media where we can hold everyone at a distance and interact with people on our own terms. For me, I need to take a step back and really think about what I alone have to offer, and how I alone and together with others can make things better, and affirm the lives around me. Regardless of how long they may be there, it is after all no less than what God has called us to do: “Love Thy Neighbour”.