And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
—Hebrews 13:16
Each person employed by Loma Linda University Health or enrolled in a university program is a part of a community with many strengths and one mission. How can we, with our varied cultures, faith and languages, hope to stay on task? Is it possible for us to harness our diversity and make it an asset?
There is an invitation from biblical scripture that can give us direction as we continue to build for a whole tomorrow. The writer of Hebrews challenges us to “do good and share.” The term in scripture that captures what we are being encouraged to do is “koinonia.” This word is an intricate, rich and thoroughly intriguing Greek approach to building community and teamwork. The word is derived from “koinos,” which means common. It connotes sharing with one another and having common unity.
We cannot deny that our hurried pace and responsibilities make it difficult at times to intentionally get to know each other. Yet these long hot days of summer provide a great opportunity to slow down or even cool down and connect with someone you have been meaning to know more deeply all year (I acknowledge that summer travels may impact this!).
When we meet others, we sometimes automatically notice our differences. But while this may be our default, it results in simply creating barriers between us. If, however, we were to ask a few more questions, we would begin to identify all the things we have in common. What if we spent the next week trying to connect with all the people who like to craft, bake, cook, eat, laugh, play games, go for walks … the possibilities are endless! (I’m currently trying out Middle Eastern cooking. Feel free to send me an email with yummy recipes you may have tried.)
While it may be tempting to perceive this as one more thing to add to our ever burgeoning “To Do” list, I would like to suggest that this actually become a way of life for all of us. It is messy and time-consuming to actually learn about each other. However, it is the only way I know how we can actually respond to our calling.
Becoming a unified Loma Linda University Health requires us to go deeper than the quick “hellos” tossed out to each other as we pass by. Join me in identifying ways to accept this invitation to become a community that does good and shares with each other this week and for the foreseeable future.
If we commit to participate in this cultural shift, it will help us stay on mission, please God and create the connected life we all long for.
—Dilys Brooks, MDiv, is associate campus chaplain for Loma Linda University.