Brief Thoughts from Bren: Through Clenched Teeth

It’s November, and our October issue of Koinonia Briefly arrives a little late. As events unfolded over the past week, I scuttled what I had planned for Brief Thoughts.

Living at Koinonia, we are surrounded by heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. They may not be named in history books, but they know firsthand what life was like before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and have endured the struggle for justice ever since. It’s my honor to live among them, my friends who remind us how far we’ve come, yet how far we have left to go. Despite any progress, the United States has not yet become a fully multiracial democracy. When one of my friends recently received a text and voicemail from an unknown number saying, “You’ll soon be picking cotton in the fields again where you belong…we’re coming for you,” I decided to pause what I had initially drafted for October.

This is not a time for platitudes or easy answers. The world feels harsh, and the work ahead is daunting. But Koinonia has taught us that hope is not measured by the size of the battle—it’s built on the steadfastness of those who keep showing up. Change grows from quiet acts of courage: the person who chooses kindness in a harsh moment, who listens even when they disagree, who continues to love when love feels risky.

The question isn’t whether the world is in a difficult place—it is. The question is: how do we show up? Do we give in to anger, or do we build something better from it, even amidst the mess? Though it may be tempting to lose hope, the steady work of love, justice, and reconciliation continues. We cannot fix it all at once, but we can begin now with what we have. We can build and rebuild the bonds that matter—the ones that tie us to our neighbors, our community, and the values we hold. This is not the work of one election or even a generation. It’s the work of a lifetime, a daily choice to be present to each other.

The call is not to retreat, but to dig in, to stay engaged, and to do the small, often unseen work that will build the world we long for. This is not a time to wait for others to lead the way. The world needs us now to stand firm in our commitment to love, resisting the forces that try to tear us apart.

At Koinonia, we’ve learned that change is not something we wait for—it’s something we are. Whether in a simple act of kindness, in standing up for justice, or in caring for the vulnerable, every action counts. The question isn’t whether it’s hard—it is. The question is: will we be faithful to the work of love, even when the world feels against it?

So, let us not be defeated by despair. Let us rise up together and take the next step. The work of building and rebuilding a just, compassionate world begins in our own hearts and in the communities around us. Will we take that step?

Anger isn’t my constant companion, but when my friend received that hateful message, I felt anger that scared me. How to move forward? Not by pretending to love the messenger—let’s be honest, I don’t. But hate can’t be what drives us; it only leads to more hate. If we can’t fix everything, we can still refuse cruelty, challenge indifference, and push back on the forces that would pull us apart. Let love of neighbor lead. And admit that sometimes love comes through clenched teeth.