“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” – Desmond Tutu
Looking out at a sea of 100,000 red-and-white-adorned, wildly enthusiastic fans, it was hard not to get caught up in the wave of camaraderie. The commitment and connection to the team – the one on the field and the one in the stands – was palpable.
Standing on the sidelines, surrounded by fewer than 100 parents, grandparents, kids of all ages, and neighbors on a Friday night, the vibe was remarkably similar to the energy in that big stadium.
There is something about the unifying energy of being in the midst of a gathering where everyone is truly together. For a moment, the things that ordinarily separate us seem less important than the one thing that brings us together.
Of course, it isn’t just sporting events.
It happens when neighbors volunteer to improve the lives of those in need. It happens when a cadre of people commits itself to caring for the creation that surrounds them. And it happens, perhaps most profoundly, in times of tragedy, like September 11, when our differences can suddenly seem insignificant in the face of a shared experience.
It is in these moments that there seems to be a collective capacity to embrace that which unifies us. Our focus shifts from our individual differences to the greater gathering. We remember that we are, in fact, connected.
Perhaps this is one of the great challenges of our time: learning to choose connectivity over divisiveness.
Our differences are real. They matter. They should not be ignored or erased. But perhaps they don’t have to define us. We can disagree and still belong to one another. We can see the world differently and still recognize our shared humanity.
The question may not be whether we are different. We clearly are.
The question is whether we will allow our differences to become more powerful than our connections.
“…that they may all be one” John 17:21