First Baptist Church of Herndon

Community - Part 2

Linda Soller | Mar 18, 2024

Last week we thought about what you can do to be an active part of your community. Did you think of anything? Well, this week let’s take it to the next level. How do your actions speak for your community? Others connect you to your communities. People in the neighborhood, or people who know your family, or people who know you from work automatically make some assumptions about the rest of your community. It may not be an accurate assumption, but it’s what they see and come to think. What you say and do reflects on you and your communities.

We Baptist are a good example. Back in the day Baptists did not approve of playing cards, dancing, drinking, etc. You can guess other communities saw us a dull, old fashioned, and too strict. It’s actually surprising how many people still think of us that way. In more recent times we have had people identified as Baptists who have behaved badly. They have resorted to violence, hatred, and extreme views. It casts a shadow on us all. People will be who they are, but as responsible members of our community we must recognize that we are seen as part of a whole. Our individual actions will reflect on our entire community. I have attended First Baptist since I was a child. I can tell you that forty years ago our congregation would never have anticipated that we would become the diverse congregation we are today. In part we are diverse due to the community around us becoming more diverse. It is also because we love what we’ve become. We welcome everyone.

You are entitled to your views, your actions, your votes, and your beliefs. God gave us amazing brains to use. Unfortunately, each brain tends to go its own way. This means you also have a responsibility to know how your actions and words will impact others. You may not change your actions or your opinions, but you need to understand their impact. When you wonder what you can do for your community, remember that others are watching. They will draw conclusions by what they see you do and what they hear you say.  Our faith says to love one another. Thankfully, our community to reflects that love.

Be kind, be brave, have faith!  : )   Linda