“Encourage each
other and build each other up." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Eight-year-old Rehan knew
first-hand the damaging effects of poverty. After his mother left the family,
his Dad did his best to raise their two sons alone. Despite working three jobs
at once, he struggled to stay ahead of the bills and put food on the table.
By the 7th grade, Rehan's grades cratered under the multiple
insecurities at home. When his teacher suggested placing the boy in Special Ed
classes, his father found a tutor to help Rehan. With a little effort and
encouragement, he ended up on the Honor Roll.
His home life fractured, Rehan found solace in athletics. He
trained vigorously in martial arts and boxing, hoping he could earn enough to lift
his family from poverty. Sadly, that dream ended with dual rotator cuff injuries
in his senior year.
With no clear path to success, his hope was but a flicker in
the wind. He graduated from high school with barely a 2.0 GPA. Every college
Rehan applied to rejected his application. So, he took a job alongside his
older brother, Reggie, working for a trash and recycling company.
And his life changed forever.
Those of you reading this might view garbage collection as a
poor career choice. Rehan, however, credits his time as a sanitation worker
for helping him expose his potential. Coworkers, many of whom were ex-cons, strongly
encouraged him to get a college education.
When Bowie State offered to take
a chance on Rehan, Reggie agreed to help fund his education. Rehan rose at 4:00
each morning to clean garbage bins and collect trash for 3 hours before classes.
Eventually, he transferred to the University of Maryland and completed his
undergraduate degree with high honors and the distinction of delivering the class’s
commencement speech.
Whatever the future holds, he'll never forget where he came
from and those who helped him get there. “I got lucky, I happened to be around
people who cared about me. I can't tell you how grateful I am for my brother
and my Dad.”
The secret to real success is not just found in academic or
financial achievement. Success is found when we help lift others out of their
difficult situations and into new lives ripe with possibilities. As people of
faith, we’ve been called to help one another. When we see the value in the
people around us and invest our time and effort into their lives, they will thrive.
Didn’t Jesus become man to show us the way?
Help us Father, reveal Your love and grace
to everyone who crosses our paths, so that they may come to know You because
they saw You in us. Help us be Your hands and feet, Your eyes and ears, and
Your loving heart in all we say and do. Amen
