“Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” 1 Peter 4:8-10
Many people do not believe that they are not a “good human.” However, at the present moment, it’s hard to see where all the good humans are in the world. There is injustice, death, political tensions, and above all that, a global pandemic.
Over the past few months, I’ve had a lot of time to think, as we all have, and I am realizing that being a good human does not necessarily have to be a grand gesture that changes the world. Being a good human is in the small things we do every day. It is waking up every day and choosing to treat the people around us with love, compassion, and respect.
Being a Good Human at Hope
When the coronavirus pandemic hit, and the semester was shifted online, it was new territory for everyone. No one knew what this would look like or how we would navigate college online. I would be lying if I said it was an easy transition.
Despite the switch, my favorite class was on Monday nights. My professor took the first and last 10 minutes of class to go through the roster and individually ask each of us how we were doing. He asked how our online classes were going, if we were okay being at home, how we were emotionally doing, and more. He told us he was praying for us and that he was just one email away if we ever needed anything. In a time when we needed that support, this professor was there for us. That is being a good human.
Another time that I distinctly remember is from my freshman year. My birthday is at the beginning of the school year, so as a freshman, not many people knew when it was. Two friends that I had added on Snapchat a few weeks earlier had noticed this, and they surprised me with a mini celebration and cinnamon rolls in the basement of Scott Hall. It was a simple gesture, but to me, it meant so much more. Being in a completely new environment and overwhelmed with the newness of college, I felt seen and cared about. That is being a good human.
These are just a few examples of this concept at play at Hope College. This will be a time when you are going to be challenged every day. You are going to have ups and downs. You will learn, grow, and change. There will be plenty of times where you will be challenged and being a good human to others may seem difficult or even impossible. Just remember that responding to a situation, no matter how frustrating, with grace and love will always be worth it.
Being a good human is in the small things we do every day.
Transitioning to college has its own set of challenges, and amid a global pandemic, those challenges become 10 times harder. However, new students and the class of 2024 are resilient, strong, and capable to handle these challenges. By being good humans, we will all get through this unprecedented time together.
Molly is a rising junior from Grand Rapids studying communications. At Hope, she is involved in Greek Life, Dance Marathon, intramural sports, Bible studies, and she works at the Boerigter Center! Outside of school, she loves cooking, traveling, being outside, going to concerts, and hanging with friends and family. She is obsessed with her two dogs and her goal in life is to one day give a TedTalk.