Human decency refers to behaving in a way that is moral, respectful, and considerate towards others. It involves following accepted moral standards and demonstrating a sense of fairness and kindness in one’s interactions.
Sometimes being human means we run to someone’s aid in a burning building, at a horrible accident, or a natural disaster. Sometimes it means we fight for justice. We use our voice, we march in rallies, we write emails, we use bumper stickers. We step in where children need advocates or meals. We cry out for changes to health care so that everyone has access. We long for the family who just cannot make enough money to survive to have the opportunities to get to a better future. So, we give to support their increased education, need for food, and mental health needs.
And fighting gets tiring. We see so much need. We get overwhelmed by it.
Stop, take a breath. Take 3 or 4 deep breaths. Take a walk, pray, go away awhile.
Because your community needs you to stay in the work. But don’t quit being human. And don’t let any person or narrative convince you that other humans are not worth fighting for. Don’t let yourself brush broad strokes to vilify groups of people – and that includes those that think differently than you on issues.
Make no mistake, we are in a fight. Fighting misinformation against a large population of our neighbors; fighting hunger and food insecurity; fighting systemic injustice and racism. Fighting for better ways forward for so many faces that I can see in my mind. Fighting the evil that wants to destroy lives and fighting on behalf of the God who is the author of love, mercy, and justice.
With God on our side, we fight on and we do it together.