Dean's Remarks

In December 2019, an Instagram post from British television host Caroline Flack said,“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” This quote quickly adorned wall art, t-shirts, coffee cups, and memes, among other things. Within a few months of that post, Flack died by suicide. Quickly the #BeKind hashtag had resurgence after being out of use for a bit. It was originally begun on Twitter in 2017 by Lucy Alexander after her son also had died by suicide.

The reminder to be kind is particularly important in Fall 2021 and beyond. Reports of angry, violent, and disruptive airline passengers have resulted in several individuals being duct-taped to their seat while in the air, in order to maintain a level of safety while the pilots diverted flights. Road rage has resulted in numerous reports across the US of car-to-car shootings, including the tragic June 2021 death of a 6-year-old boy in a freeway shooting in Orange County, California. Customers screaming at grocery store or restaurant staff has become regular fodder for the evening news. School board meetings have resulted in overturned tables and chairs, screaming rants, and other aggressive actions.

The stressors of the pandemic have been many and varied -- financial and job losses; increased violence toward black, brown, and Asian-Americans; and the deaths of loved ones due to complications from Covid. Domestic violence has increased as families quarantined; political dissonance has led to significant outbursts; and mental health stressors have increased.

#BeKind

Notably, this call to kindness isn’t new. The Apostle Paul wrote these words to first century Ephesians -- “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32) In tense times, as Christ-followers, we want to be more aware of the needs around us. Even more, the invisible pains our fellow sojourners carry will be more than we may ever know.

The School of Education is blessed with an amazing team of faculty and staff, all of whom follow Jesus and exemplify His love and grace. Other readers of this newsletter include alumni and friends of the School, supporting our mission and values. Yet, we are also all carrying heavy loads in this season, and are facing unknown changes and challenges as the impact of the Delta variant moves into our communities. The additional challenges -- of racial divides, political tensions, high profile ethical lapses of leaders, and the changes that many churches are facing -- add to heightened sensitivities and increased anxieties.

As we begin a new school year, in a world when we can be anything, let’s be kind …
… kind to the mom struggling to get the stroller through the grocery aisle while pulling a cart behind her
...kind to the next door retiree who chooses to mow at 7 am on a Saturday
...kind to the school secretary who didn’t get the classroom assignments posted at the promised time
...kind to the person driving on the shoulder of the road to cut into traffic (this one is going to be hard for me, I confess!)
...kind to the colleague who seems distracted and disengaged in a meeting
...kind to the family member who calls with the daily complaint report
...kind to (fill in the blank of what is hard for you to do!)

The Psalmist David penned these words

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly. … The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. (Proverbs 15:1-2, 4)

As we begin another school year, may we give a measure of grace to those around us, be sensitive to the leadings of the Holy Spirit to offer tangible help and acts of kindness, be gentle with ourselves, and #BeKind.