Youmanity Awards

Copyright 2012: singeronthesand

Permit me a reminder, friends, and this is not a new

commandment, but simply a repetition of our original

and basic charter: that we love each other.

Love means following His commandments, and His

unifying commandment is that you conduct your lives in love.

This is the first thing you heard, and nothing has changed.

2 John 5-6 

At Joliet Township High School in Illinois, kindness and compassion are important traits of character.  During the month of March, students distributed more than 800 Youmanity tokens to people in their lives, each recognizing an act of kindness to them or to someone else.  Each token has a serial number that can be registered on a website provided by Aviva Life Insurance Company, the sponsor of the program.  That means students can trace a token's path, as each recipient pays it forward with an act of kindness to someone else.  One token has traveled through multiple states with over 40 passes.

Kindness is an important goal of the Friends of Rachel Club at the high school.  The club carries on the legacy left by Rachel Scott, the first person killed in the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999.  Rachel's challenge promotes several goals:  look for the best in others, eliminate prejudice, choose positive influences, and start a chain reaction. Another goal proclaims, Kind words and actions equals huge results.

Putting others first rather than yourself is another important goal of the program.  The kids at Joliet West look for ways to be kind and helpful to each other at school, to their families at home, and to strangers on the street.  The kids have given Youmanity tokens to police officers, teachers, parents, neighbors, community members and each other.  Tracking where that token lands next is an exciting and important program - to see how the chain reaction of kindness continues.

In John's second letter to the churches, he again reminds the congregation of Christ's example of living their lives in love.  Kindness and compassion are born of love and respect for those around us.  I challenge you today to follow the example of the high school students in Joliet to find those who need a touch of God's love today.

[Facts of this story from the Joliet Herald News online]