Humble and Serving by Brian

Humble and Serving by Brian - November 2019 Scholarship Essay

As a teenager about to become an adult, I am grateful our family is, one could say, hyperunified. We work as a team, bound together by the love of Yahweh our God, tackling the problems we encounter. This is a stark contrast to what I observe in school. I see students making jokes and sarcastic comments that underscore the roles of others, sometimes even that of the teachers. Light “roasts” are overlooked, yet they affect everyone at a subconscious level, if not conscious. Rampant individualism has left many of my peers cynical and has broken the greater sense of unity. All this works to undermine the natural gregariousness of humanity that, when satisfied, gives us a greater sense of purpose. My childhood has made it easier for me to be predisposed to agape. I use this selfless love to promote unity and harmony in all my classes, in an attempt to change the social state around me. I do not confine myself to one clique, rather I float through various groups. I believe that little daily acts of agape vastly improves the lives of others. One of my friends, who now attends UTSA, told me, “I am thankful to call you a friend, I’m really glad to know you. I have a lot of respect that you know who you are in your faith as well as your humbleness in everything you do”. From unwithheld academic help to lending someone my phone charger or writing utensil, to giving them advice or helping them see a different perspective, people have come to rely on me for help with almost anything. I try to be extra loving to the outcasts, people deemed unworthy and excluded. Every Friday I spend time with the mentally challenged kids at my school through the “Friends Having Fun” club. I have made such a positive impact on them; one guy, Aiden, hugs me and yells with excitement “What’s up buddy!!!” every time I see him in the hallway – he always brings a smile to my countenance!
I strive to preserve a sense of community that is modeled off of the family bonds I enjoy at home. I would not have had this focus on unity and love if my childhood had not been scarred by my father’s actions. I have found pure goodness in a diverse and harmonious community that is radiating in selfless love, and I share this experience with my school as much as I can because I firmly believe that touching the heart of just one person in a positive way can have a domino effect that causes thousands more to be influenced which then causes tens of thousands to be changed – even if I will never know them.