Social change is ongoing evolution: What came before and where are we headed?

From the beginning of Creation, human beings, as a species, were destined to be social creatures. “And the Lord God said, it is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18), and from then on, throughout history, man has developed among peoples, religions and ethnic groups, villages, cities, kingdoms and societies - all sharing their own defining values, languages, believes and order. The face of human society is constantly dynamic, affected by everything that contains it, surrounding our lives across thousands of years as we inhabit the earth by billions.

Those ancient times which are revealed to us across the pages of the bible present early days of human connections, duties and rights, law and justice, while the king takes charge of them all, directing his people to follow. Some kings were rulers of war, some were kings of riches, but there was one who devoted himself to understand the most important subject of his reign - his own subjects. King Solomon was a wise man, wisest of all, not only by knowing what was best for his people, but mainly by knowing what was best for any man, past present, and future.
It isn’t by chance that his writings then are so relevant to us today, both as individuals and as a collective. His thoughts and actions as a statesman led an entire society to flourish and prosper through policies of peace and collaborations in commerce. His times were truly a golden age of harmony and cooperation among nations, and his valued experience sheds a bright light on how people are right to treat one another, then and today.

“Love your neighbor as yourself” / Leviticus 19:18

Solomon’s infinite wisdom covers every life aspect that combines human existence, including the social element. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon offers instruction and guidance to those who arrive at the verge of adulthood to acquire wisdom on the way to achieving, among the rest, personal well-being, fruitful relationships, and good community ties: 

• “Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.” (Proverbs 27:10)

• “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17)

• “Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. 30 Do not accuse anyone for no reason— when they have done you no harm.” (Proverbs 3:29-30)

• “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” (Proverbs 13:20)

We cannot ignore the timeless meaning these words carry, as Solomon speaks of the unambiguous importance of learning from one another, developing ourselves through positive communications and common goals. We can’t progress without sharing ideas and ventures, because it is within our nature to belong.
There’s a pearl of old Jewish wisdom sourced in Mishna Sanhedrin which says “Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world”. If you think about it, this manifests the true bond of people, as each life is connected to so many other lives that are directly affected by it, and vice versa.

Unfortunately, despite the enormous progress of technology and globalization over the years, humankind has experienced an overwhelming contrast in wise of growing violence and crime. People and countries are racing each other, competing for resources, destroying nature, fighting for status and power, suffering from poverty and illness. Stress, rage and distress are increasing, leading our society toward degeneration and destruction. King Solomon’s words of peace and pacifism resonate now even more, reminding us that the only way we could survive is not by taking only for ourselves, but by giving and receiving as a part of mutual consciousness. It’s rather simple really, realizing that when we act together, instead of against or apart, we can achieve much more. This is the essence of our survival basically, both as a species and as residents of this aching ecological system, which we’re responsible for as a society.

A wake-up call

These current times we live in, impacted by a global pandemic, are trying to tell us something, as it hasn’t fallen upon us by chance. It’s clear that human society has come to somewhat of a dead-end. Hostility is raging, human contact stays within the limits of the virtual realm, money has become the god of everything and kindness has left the building. It is an era desperate for change, hit by a pandemic that obligates us to return to sentiments of mutual caring and to contribute to bettering our shared existence on this planet.

Experience the good and pass in forward

Wanting good things for ourselves and reaching them in our life should be achieved in relation to our environment. If we treat our neighbors poorly then the cycle of abundance will simply break.
King Solomon’s Wisdom curated in his Seals enables us to make a difference, one that starts with you and resonates further.