All God’s Children
As I mentioned last week, October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Note, it is not just an awareness month—it is Bullying PREVENTION Month! Primarily the focus is on children and youth. Schools and organizations throughout the country are holding events and classes to teach how to recognize what constitutes bullying and take action to prevent bullying.[1]
Perhaps the children and youth can then teach their parents. Current news reports cite example after example of parents—who are upset about mask and vaccine mandates, or curriculum they consider unacceptable to teach the children—bullying and threatening teachers, school board members, and health care professionals. It has gotten so bad that the Justice Department is reviewing what needs to be done to protect the safety of students, educators, and board members. I weep when I think of what our children are learning from the behaviors and rhetoric of the adults around them and in mass media.
By the way, it is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Sigh… more about this next week. Suffice it to say, one thing leads to another.
The pandemic and political rhetoric has served to scrape off the scab of fear that bleeds anxiety, anger, hatred of others, violence, narcissism, paranoia, and greed. I realize these are strong words and it’s not easy for me to write this. Yet my faith tells me that we all are created in God’s goodness. We all, no matter which “side” we chose to be on, are loved equally by God. And as I heard in a sermon recently, we stumbled in our human expression and lost sight of our innate goodness.
I wish there were easy answers, that God would just go “Poof!” and all would be set right, and the unhealthy fear, rage, and violence would vanish. Then, deep within I hear that still small voice (or sometimes a shout): “What do you think I put you and the others here for?”
Remember Jesus, my son who took on human flesh to show you how to work for justice and peace? Remember how he stood up in his hometown and proclaimed the words of the Prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim release to the prisoners, to comfort those who mourn” (Isaiah 61:1-2)?
Remember Jesus, who commissioned his disciples and said, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:15b)?
I am reminded also of the words of American cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”[2]
Together, let us support each other, learn from each other, and challenge one another to be our best selves. With an active hope, let us work together to build a safe and amazing kin-dom as Christ’s presence leads us to do for all of God’s children.
Blessings,
Donna
Rev. Dr. Donna Patterson serves as Anam Cara Chaplain in Residence for Scarritt Bennett Center and directs the Center’s Soul Work program.
[1] https://www.pacer.org/bullying/
[2] 1982 Copyright, Earth at Omega: Passage to Planetization by Donald Keys, (Epigraph of Chapter VI: The Politics of Consciousness), Quote Page 79, Published by Branden Press, Boston, Massachusetts. (Google Books Preview)