By Abson Joseph, FAS Board Member
I am not used to making New Year resolutions! There are several reasons for it, but the primary one is the fact that this is something cultural that I did not encounter until I came to the United States. Now to be clear, I love and have engaged the practice of looking back on the previous year with a critical eye to evaluate what went well, what could have done better, and to reflect on the upcoming year and prayerfully think through what the next year may bring with hopeful expectation. However, in the context of spiritual formation, I tend to think more about what kinds of habits and practices I should undertake that would bring me closer to God and others. It is less of a checklist to cross, but more of an ongoing transformative engagement.
As I reflect on the year 2020, the list of personal and corporate challenges is too long to enumerate. Each of us was affected or might be able to identify someone who was directly impacted by COVID-19. Each of us experienced angst during the recent election cycle, and the social tensions surrounding police brutality against black and brown bodies. As I looked around, I realized how polarizing these two things were, especially for church communities. While I experienced the care and love of friends and coworkers, I had to wrestle with the reality of being a black person and being a black father raising black children in America.
When I think about what new habits I need to form, or what new practices I need to embody in order to draw closer to God and other people during the year 2021, my thoughts take me to John 4. That passage is fraught with underlying tensions and conflicts. Even John’s mention of the well and its location evokes memories of the internal strife that wreaked havoc within Jacob’s family. However, the present issue was Jesus’ willingness to break established ethnic boundaries and navigate the tensions associated with engaging a Samaritan woman in dialogue. “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” is a natural response. A painful history created a status quo that should be observed. However, as the two engaged in a difficult yet fruitful conversation, the Samaritan woman was able to see Jesus for who he truly was. One should not take for granted the fact that the Samaritan village offered hospitality to Jesus and his disciples. It also is significant that Jesus and his disciples were accepted. It required both groups to open their hearts and minds to see the other in new ways.
I do not plan to make any resolutions for 2021. I am praying fervently that God will give me eyes to see others for who they truly are, “not by the color of their skin, but the strength of their character” like Martin Luther King, Jr., once said. I am praying fervently that God will give me courage to walk into spaces that have been deemed hostile territory and engage a stranger in fruitful, though potentially difficult, conversation. I want to develop habits that are transformative and reflect the heart of God.
The year 2020 was a difficult one. The year 2021 has arrived and brought with it hopes, expectations, and challenges. The church has a key role to play in healing the soul of a divided nation and soothing hurts that run deep. May it start with seeing the other, a willingness to offer and receive hospitality from those who are not like us.