Coexist (verb): (as defined from: Dictionary.com)

1. “to exist together or at the same time.”

2. “to exist separately or independently but peaceably, often while remaining rivals or adversaries”

Recently, I was reunited with a handful of girls in my rising senior class. I was filled with joy to see these girls after two months of vacations had separated us, and the anticipation of our senior year lay ahead of us.

We were brought together by a project that we needed to complete before the first day of school: painting the senior banner that would hang on campus the first day back. The project began with a lunch at Chick-fil-A, and then a 10-minute trip to Wal-Mart. Of course, 10 minutes turned into 30 minutes, as everyone had their own opinions on how big the banner should be, what color paints we should use and what the design should look like on the banner itself. After debating each individual piece of the banner, everyone agreed on one design that turned out to be pretty amazing.

On my way back home from painting this amazing banner, I was behind a car with a bumper sticker that said “Coexist” using the Crescent Moon and Star, a peace sign, the Male/Female Symbols, the Star of David, the letter I dotted with a Pentacle, an S with Yin and Yang, and a Christian Cross. Using these very different symbols to create the word “coexist” which, by definition, simply means to exist at the same time, seems odd to me. Is the word “coexist” a word we want to describe our communities? Our neighborhoods? Is this really all we want to do? “Exist” at the same time?

What about building relationships with people of different cultural backgrounds? What about diversity? What about equal opportunity? What about loving across the social boundaries set by society?

Coexistence will stop the fighting, but it will not heal the wounds. Coexistence will prevent debates, but it will be unproductive.

I bring all of this back to what feels like a silly comparison of my friends and I painting our banner. We all had different views on how it should turn out, but our contrasting beliefs were ironed out, and we were able to hear each other out and respect every opinion in the group. That was not coexistence; that was mutual respect and love. You see, coexistence would have been ignoring other opinions and each of us doing our own banner. Coexistence would have looked like 46 different “senior class” banners hanging around our school, because nobody bothered to hear opinions, or work together on a silly project.

The debates over our banner seem ridiculous in comparison to debates over background and beliefs. In fact, I could be crazy for even attempting to draw a parallel between the two. I do strongly believe, however, that in order to create a unified community, we are required to love beyond our comfort zones. We are called to love every man and woman, every boy and girl, despite beliefs, because they were created in God’s image, too.

Are we not made for community? Do we not have two ears and a mouth for a reason? Why won’t we use them to love those who differ from us, as we have been called to do? Coexistence won’t cut it.