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Editorial, Spring 2004 issue of PAGES:
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"Looking Around Me"
Kindness, Consideration, Confidence, Righteousness — these are four qualities necessary for those who would be part of “Saving the World from Destruction.” So claimed Walter Wangerin, Jr. (author, storyteller, professor) speaking to the Goshen College graduates on April 25.
“Looking Around Me” this early May day is not always a pretty sight! Even as I thrill to the burst of bloom from daffodils, tulips, bluebell, dogwood, azalea, lilacs, magnolia, I cringe from the horrendous news of yet more deaths in Iraq with the added sorry news of soldiers’ lives damaged and prisoners abused. The truth about our world's pain is daily spread before our eyes — at times we will find it given short shrift on a back page of the newspaper.
And yet to refuse to listen, to choose not knowing, to decide we cannot care enough to confront the violence or to reach out to touch the pain — this too is death.
As the springtime glory intersects with the litany of pain, can I stay centered in God’s love and convinced profoundly enough that Jesus’ way is one of healing and hope? Can you? Can we help each other?
I think of one more quality, “creativity” — especially needed at crossroads such as graduation or other “redirecting” points in life. Wangerin exudes this “c” word as he spins story entwined with healing ideas. Or perhaps two words: Creativity consecrated to
God’s ways of acting and being, to living these dire days with a conscience for peace and justice.
We need to get our heads together. Otherwise we stop at every scary “what if.” What if someone doesn’t like “hearing about it”? What if we don’t succeed in convincing the world? What if the killing doesn’t stop? What if we get worn out or even personally targeted for pain?
We cannot “save the world” without divine strength way beyond ourselves. And we will only demonstrate the immense power of love available from the Prince of Peace if we together draw on our God-given imagination. Blessed are the peace creators.
— Helen L. Lapp
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