Proximity Changes Us

Written by: Bryan Willkom

My experience of the immigrant community changed…

…when I took a part time job at a bilingual church a few years ago.

I brushed up on my Spanish, I picked people up from their homes, we sat around tables, we shared food, I heard stories, I learned about needs, we had fun, we served, we prayed together and… although it was only for a short time, I was changed.

In Buddhism, it is said that we begin to change the world by first changing how we look at the world.

Who have you met that has changed how you look at the world? I bet it’s a lot.

Proximity changes us. Connection changes us. Closeness to human difference and diversity changes us.

Jesus knew this better than anyone. Jesus drew close to people, close to suffering, close to the margins. He asked questions, He shared meals, He healed the sick, He included outcasts, He washed dirty feet with His hands to show what it means to serve. Jesus made His love clear through proximity.

Could it be that we’re all one relationship away from changing our mind? One connection, one conversation, one shared experience…

Whether it’s the immigrant community, LGBTQ, race, non-native speaking, age, disability, socioeconomic status, even political affiliation etc.

Will you draw close enough and allow yourself to see the world differently through proximity and relationships?

And maybe… you’ll be changed like me. 🙏