This morning, I found inspiration in the heart of my 15-year-old son. Eric is running for a student government class office for his sophomore class. High school can be a tough environment, particularly for those who are not at the top of the "cool" crowd.
Eric, an incumbent who served this year on the freshman class council, finds himself running against a very popular classmate who is appears to be running a "fun" campaign. We've talked at length about the possibility of defeat (sometimes, the cool kid wins over the responsible kid), but Eric is determined to run regardless of the anticipated outcome. For this, he has the utmost respect of a mom who was never brave enough to stick her neck out on the line in high school.
This morning, I read the opening words of Eric's speech, which include the following quote from Albert Einstein:
"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."
Eric feels committed to running because he honestly believes in service to his classmates and to his Catholic high school. He is convicted about "doing something" to make his corner of the world a better place. At a time when evil in the world feels pervasive and a person could easily question what difference she could possibly make, having the shining example of a son like Eric is a great motivator.
If each of us truly believed that we could make a difference and acted upon our convictions, I'm convinced that we could change our world. Most of us have neither the global influence nor the political platform to effect monumental change. What we do have is the ability to quietly, lovingly and humbly serve those in our own little corners of the world. With our hands we can feed, clothe and house the needy. With our hearts we can build up and support the marginalized. With our eyes we can look for things that don't seem quite right, and with our feet and our souls, we can take those small steps forward toward finding lasting solutions. With a God who loves us unconditionally and without end, we have the support and strength we need to move the tiny grains of sand that constitute the mountains in front of us.
Today, let's not look on and do nothing.
