Editor’s note: The Interfaith Community of the Olean area sponsored an essay contest for high school students, asking: Can faith have a role in healing our society? There were three prize winners: Preston Swan, a ninth-grader from Randolph, first; Anthony Sheldon, a Cattaraugus-Little Valley junior, second; and Theodore McClellan, an Olean junior, third. McClellan’s essay appears here, while Shedon’s will be published in Thursday’s edition and Swan’s will appear in Saturday’s edition.

Faith can have a profound impact on how people treat others and the world around them as well as themselves. Religious communities have the power to bring people together to work towards a common good.

When people are part of a religious group, they tend to connect with others in that group through shared goals and beliefs. This creates a sense of belonging that motivates the people in this community to connect with others, not only to share their beliefs but to spread their teachings. Religious groups often present themselves through good deeds and charity, showing others that through the power they gain through their faith, they have the motivation and the ability to help others and make the world a better place.

Happiness is infectious. When people see other religious groups acting in their faith and supplying their communities with things they need, they are inspired to do the same or are at least more optimistic after seeing good deeds happening in the world. Many people see the world as a violent place, especially by what is presented on the news, so if these religious groups can demonstrate their willingness and determination to assist others in ways that can be seen by people who are doubtful, it can impact their vision of the world and help them become more hopeful. By introducing people who are unfamiliar with faith-based groups to them, it may help them feel like they belong in a way that they have never felt before. By surrounding these people who may feel lost in the world to a group that will help them to try and better their life will inspire and encourage them to help themselves and the people around them grow into new and improved individuals.

For many, faith is a personal journey. Many people choose to work on their relationship with God to better themselves rather than seek out a community. By growing their relationship with God, they are building upon their faith that can then be used to inspire others. If people are encouraged to work on their faith through individual prayer and discipline, then they will soon be enlightened to practices that their religion teaches. Through this use of faith people become kinder, more generous, and more devoted, which is seen by others and often inspiring. When people see somebody bettering themselves, they are often motivated to do the same. Just like how fitness influencers inspire others to get in shape, people who grow their faith and act on it inspire others to build upon their own faith and grow into a better person.

Faith certainly does have a role in healing our society. Faith and faith-based communities have common goals to heal communities by spreading good and teaching others so that they can also do their work and pass it on. Through faith people are inspired to give to people who need and also discipline themselves so they can put others before them. Acts of selflessness are essential to healing communities and inspiring others to be humble as well will create a society where people will always be willing to be kind and show respect to others around them.