My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together. –Desmond Tutu
A human being is multi-faceted, paradoxical at best. On the one hand, humanity is our ability to care for others, in a sense it is our compassion and kindness. But on the other hand, we can attribute most of the worst events in history to the essential flaws of human nature.
Allowing one another a shred of human dignity is a nice idea. Humanists are defined as secular individualists who employ scientific reason and critical thinking to their problems. Humanist approaches seem to focus on the betterment of society through a basic respect for all humans. Sounds ok so far.
But…and this is a big but…I’ve seen over and over that even with the best intentions, we will wind up hurting each other again and again. Even at Koinonia, where a small group of people have committed to living reconciled lives, we fail each other over and over. We unintentionally (and sometimes carelessly) step on each others’ toes, gossip, bend the truth in the name of being nice…as my A.A. friends say, our best thinking doesn’t seem to get us very far.
So yes, Desmond, we can only be human together. But, “To err is human, to forgive divine.” (Alexander Pope) I’m with Alex on this one. Humanity is full of errors in judgment, self-righteousness, self-centeredness, fear and flat out disregard for the other beings around us. And so, in my experience, we absolutely need divine intervention if we are to make anything worthwhile out of the mess of life on Earth.
Without God, I’ve charged headlong into the life I dreamed of, where I just wanted to be happy all the time. When that was my life, relationships fell apart, jobs were abandoned, my family was to be kept at arms’ length, and I was fierce and independent. At best, I was lonely and aimless, experiencing intermittent happiness among the mess. At worst, I was filled with resentment, judgment and paralyzing fear.
With God, I’ve balked many times at the life he has laid out before me. And then thankfully I’ve followed his lead regardless of my fear. Faith tells me to keep going despite my inner-critic’s warnings. With God, fleeting happiness is all right because a deep sense of joy permeates my walk with him. Even in the midst of turmoil, I can experience divine grace and forgiveness. And in God’s presence, I can be more than simply human. I can glimpse eternity, and know that my humanity is a precious and temporary gift.
Each life is a treasure. How will you spend yours? Will you squander it on selfish pleasures? Or store up heavenly riches that will reward you and countless others in this life and the life to come?
Word Lady. Heavenly riches pleaassssssssssssssssssseeeeeeeee!