What is your superpower?
In Asset Based Community Development we often talk about the strength of individuals instead of focusing on the needs. That changes the way we see people; it changes the way they see themselves.
For too long we have focused on the deficits of people, the lack of resources, the lack of...you fill in the blank. What if we see people as gifted human beings who have potential, and whose stories can change our world? A Lakota Sioux proverb says: "Never criticize someone else unless you walk a mile in his moccasins" encourages us to hear people's stories. I don't know your story. I don't know what you have been through and I should not make assumptions of your behavior today. We are all broken people and have learned to cover our brokenness in different ways. Some of us have become drug users, others are
incarcerated, some are gamblers, some are workaholics, some are excessive servers. We all cover up our
brokenness, some ways are more accepted, others are not.
But what if we changed that, what if we looked at people and see the resilience that came from the brokenness? What if we see the good in people? What if we see what they contribute to our world?
Would that make a difference? Would that help a person to see more of the divine imprint they have?
Would that help a person heal?
I want to venture a strong 'yes' on this. I have seen it over and over. My heart is full of stories of people who would be ashamed of making eye contact when we first met them, but by the end, they would be
able to do amazing things. Things that were already in them, but nobody ever asked them.
Recently I asked a friend to share her story, and she was totally in shock. Nobody had ever asked her. We need to know each other's stories, recognize our common humanity and together highlight the
unique contribution a person can bring.
Despite your brokenness, do you know your superpower?
Merced is filled with people with superpowers, with hearts of gold who would do anything to make this
place better, but they might be disguised as janitors, or drug users, of single moms, or undocumented,
and unless we recognize their dignity, they will never live up to their fullest potential. Keep your eyes
open and make someone's superpower known.