By Caleb Garcia | Photographer
Baylor prides itself on being unapologetically Christian — a strong statement and one that I’m sure drew many of us to the university. It’s our core principle, chasing a degree while in a strong faith based and God-fearing community. It’s beautiful to see such a united student body working towards being better Christians. However, many of us seem to lack a key part of our faith.
We often forget how blessed we are. As students, we are given an opportunity that so many dream of. We get to go to one of the best private universities in the nation, enjoy incredible traditions and a faith-based community, all on a beautiful and safe campus. I know that a lot of us appreciate these gifts and that many have dedicated our lives to pursuing a higher education and our dreams. Although many of us appreciate what we have, an even greater portion seems to ignore or refute it.
It’s not difficult to miss those who aren’t as privledged. They’re just about everywhere you look. You will see this just past the highway, downtown or really in any part of Waco. You can see dilapidated buildings, communities desperately in need of support, and most noticeably of all? The homeless. You can hardly take a step anywhere without seeing them, walking the streets or huddled in corners. Sights like these are the most apparent problems in Waco. Just as there are problems outside the university, there is one clear and present problem within.
A certain piece of scripture comes to mind when I think about the problem — James 2:14-7.
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but does not give them the things needed for the body, what good is that? Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
Every day I hear students who profess their faith and claim to be righteous. I’m all for it, I suppose. I believe in praising God and spreading the word just as much as anyone. But some profess their spiritual devotion and seem to completely ignore putting it in practice. Many preach for change and a better world yet refuse to volunteer or get involved to do so. Some claim to treat everyone as people of God but treat the homeless as almost sub-human.
As an ambassador for the volunteer organization Bear Necessities, I see the desperate need for volunteers and those who are willing to step out and make a difference. If some of us can sit in a prayer tent and go to worship concerts three nights in a row, why can’t we put the same time into actually making a difference?
Just because we’ve been accepted into a prestigious university does not mean we have to turn a blind eye to the problems of those around us. It is our calling to make our communities better as Christians. Whether it be local or problems far away, we as Baylor students can make a huge impact, provided we truly open our eyes to the call as God would want us to. With this, I want to leave one last piece of scripture.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38).
