A short conceptual reflection on my time as an undergraduate student at Taylor University.
Holistic education at Taylor University is promoted through a liberal arts study of the parts of a cell nucleus, financial ratios, and coiling clay pots. Corporately, through various disciplines, we learn to train the physical through spiritual lenses and how to live together in the Kingdom. Life in the residence hall the past year has been the pinnacle of my holistic Taylor education. I have seen and embraced authentic discipleship relationships in the face of grief, idols, and conflict. Community gets messy when your room is a place for the confession of sin; when a friend dies and space is cultivated for grief and tough questions; when pride gets in the way of forgiveness and relationships are severed. Our mess looks different and still remarkably similar.
Many of us have chosen to live in our mess rather than conceal or repress its presence. This makes the reality of messiness beautiful. The value of Taylor's community is transformative because together we pick up the towel, with our mess in sight, and willingly acknowledge the need for restoration. Through incarnational relationships, we live the reality of Christ's sacrifice and redemption. We wash one another's dirty feet. Our pursuit of intentional community, global engagement, and relentless discovery has holistically laid a foundation for life in the Kingdom.
We are His witnesses molded by the integration of faith and learning to 'turn our hearts and live to the process of maturing in Christ.' When we embrace living within messiness we see with opened eyes as He redeems for His glory what is imperfect - making the mess less messy.
Through our families, professions, and service we continue to witness to His redemptive work until the day we are fully redeemed. The context continues to change each day with new messy beginnings as we transition amidst our work as servant leaders marked with a passion to
minister Christ's redemptive love and truth to a world in need. Yet we live with the assurance our God goes before us providing strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.
