The First Principle

The first of the seven principles that Unitarian Universalist congregations uphold is “the inherent worth and dignity of every person.” As I wrote in the previous post, the principles are not only a guide for congregational life, but can be a guide for our lives in general. I believe that all people should strive to honor one another’s inherent worth and dignity.

Understanding the meaning of this “inherent worth and dignity” is a complex task. Different Unitarian Universalists offer different interpretations of what the first principle means in theory and in practice.

In my own life, I have found that continued reflection on the first principle has helped me to become a little better as a person. I interpret the first principle to mean that there is a piece of the sacred in every person. That doesn’t mean that some people aren’t also brutal or worse. It means that each person has the potential to do good things, and to have a positive impact on the lives of others. This could be true even though people sometimes do not live up to that potential, and even turn away from it. This interpretation of the first principle inspires me, and is theologically consistent with God’s love for all people.

The first principle, as I understand it, calls us not simply to passively believe in others’ potential for goodness. Instead, it calls us to recognize and honor that potential. For me, I think the searching for other’s inherent worth and dignity, and trying to honor it, is more important than simply believing in it. Searching for the sacred in every person helps me to be a little more compassionate, and more aware of God’s presence in the world. During the search, I may see things about a person that I wouldn’t have otherwise. And when I fall short of treating others with the respect they deserve, the first principle calls me to look again.

The first principle also speaks to how we treat ourselves. Let’s recognize and honor our own worth and dignity. There is a tendency to apply the first principle only to “other” people. (i.e. “I believe other people have inherent worth and dignity.”)

Don’t forget that according to the first principle YOU have inherent worth and dignity, and YOU should treat yourself as such. Look for the sacred within, as well as in others.