By Tonya Skelly

Special to the Salisbury Post

Rowan County has many needs, but what we need most is love that manifests itself as patience, kindness, understanding, and humility. As the apostle Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians (Chapter 13), “three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

We don’t hear much about love these days. We focus on the worst, the latest episode of fatal gun violence or some other discord in the community. Attitudes of divisiveness and mistrust appear to be burgeoning at an alarming rate. Fear of more and more violence is threatening to become the norm rather than the exception. And yet seldom, if at all, are there solid solutions proffered to stem this rising tide of man’s inhumanity to man.

Well, I have the solution that will not only reduce violence and unrest, but eliminate it all together. It is simple. It doesn’t require more law enforcement. It doesn’t require bucket loads of money to be thrown at it. It doesn’t require more laws or local ordinances. Everything needed is available to all of us right now.

Love, love is all we need. Simple, right? Yes and no.

Love our neighbor

No, because first we all have to recognize that our economic station in life does not determine our value as a person. Neither does our race, nationality, social status or political beliefs. What determines our value as a person is our love for one another.

So, yes, it is simple. It is a choice, a decision to love. It is living the command Jesus gave us to love God above all and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

How do we love our neighbor? Perhaps the best way is to humble ourselves before the Lord and pray for only good things for our brothers and sisters. Prayer is a tool we all have in our tool box. Prayer is not restricted only to pastors or eloquent evangelists. All can pray. God understands all words, languages, and intentions. There is no limit to God’s understanding, mercy, and love.

Saturday morning

The morning of Saturday, Oct. 7, we all have the opportunity to see God’s understanding, mercy and love in action. Pray Rowan is a grassroots event that will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate. We will gather on the Rowan County courthouse steps in Salisbury to pray for every aspect of life in Rowan.

Prayer will be offered by clergy and lay people. We will offer praise and thanksgiving in song. We will pray for healing of divisions and discord in the community. We will pray for healing of disease, illness and injuries. We will pray for our families. We will pray for peace and love to replace all hatred and violence. We will pray for elected officials and first responders. We will pray for our teachers and all those who significantly touch the lives of our children.

We will pray. We will pray and pray some more.

Join our Rowan County family at 10 a.m. on Saturday. God will move in a mighty way for Rowan County! Pray, Rowan, pray! Come and see.

Tonya Skelly is a resident of Rowan County.