What does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?
—Micah 6:8
Have you ever wondered if just one person can change the world? This is a daunting question that leaves us pondering how we can even begin to change complex systems. It’s understandable that questions about change leave us feeling overwhelmed, especially when the nightly news bombards us with stories that ignite fear and concern for our loved ones and our collective future.
But we must not succumb to these feelings of helplessness. Instead, we must use this as a starting point to identify the systems that need to change. We are not just observers of these systems; we are integral components of them. Many of us occupy places of power. We sit on boards, we serve in state houses and government offices, and we work at companies that shape the everyday lives of people around us.
It’s all too easy to become disconnected from the lives and struggles of others, failing to recognize that things that are easy in our own lives can be matters of trial and tribulation for others, solely because of how they are perceived in the world.
However, when we remain connected and recognize the struggles of others, we can also spark change. . . . While it’s natural to initially experience what social science researchers call “learned helplessness”—a state of struggling to find solutions to challenging situations, even when they are attainable—we now have a new question to ask ourselves: “How can we make this equitable?”
This question can help us pivot and contribute to the betterment of our world and local communities through our commitment to equity.
During Lent, we often focus on our personal behavior and growth. While that can be beneficial, let this question of equity challenge us to think more about systems and systemic change during this season of reflection. Christ did not come simply for the good of each individual in isolation but for the whole world. Jesus calls us to make systemic change and embrace equity in our work for justice.
Rev. Dr. Candace M. Lewis is the 17th President/Dean of Gammon Theological Seminary and the first woman elected to this role in the school’s 138-year history. She’s an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church and has been in full-time ministry for 25 years. Candace is a member of the Intersect Co-Planting Network and contributor to Where We Meet: A Lenten Study of Systems, Stories, and Hope.
This reflection was adapted from Where We Meet: A Lenten Study of Systems, Stories, and Hope (Upper Room Books, 2023).
For deeper reflection in this season of Lent, we invite you to listen as Candace responds to the question, “How do you hope Where We Meet affects the future of the church?” at the Virtual Book Launch in January.
What challenges or inspires you about the claim that ‘Christ did not come simply for the good of each individual in isolation but for the whole world’?
What does it mean to consider yourself as an agent of change and not merely a passive observer of the systems in place in our society? How does this affect your views on equity and change?
What are some ways you can learn more about something where you are not well-informed so that you feel empowered to work for change?
Share your responses with others in the comments below!
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