I write this post sitting in the front room of the house I live in. I am watching my son and daughter play at the park across the street. It is amazing and scary to watch them grow and learn about the world - its blessings and its curses. They absorb and learn at a very fast rate - they are like little sponges. My son who is about to turn six comes to us daily to tell us about a new product or service that he has seen on a commercial - "Mommy did you know that you can get rid of all those spray cleaners and get the new magic thingy" . We of course laugh hysterically but part of me is scared about his gullibility and innocence - he believes everything. My son is learning about the world from all over - the TV, kids at school and hopefully from his parents and he is beginning to form his own opinions. Which brings me to my point - where will he learn strength?
I do not mean the type of strength that comes from hours spent grunting and sweating in a gym but the kind that heroes of old possessed. Where will he learn about character and integrity and resolve? Hopefully he can look to me but as he gets older he will realize that his dear ol' dad is not the master of all things and he will need to look to someone or something somewhere to find it - to see it - to want to imitate it and make it part of who he is. I know this because I seek it and what I find is that there are few who stand for much anymore. I find that often the word or handshake of a man is no more trustworthy than a Calgary weather report (pardon me ladies speaking about my own gender). Where are the men that used to ride gallantly into battle upon their trusted steed? Where are the tough guys that would fight for the honour of a woman? Where are all of institutions and bastions of integrity, and honour and duty and truth? Where can my son look to find unwavering strength that will teach him to stand boldly in the face of injustice and protect the innocent? Where can my son look to find that kind of resolve that will inspire him to respect and honour not only others but his own word or his own promise - where will he go?
Some may say the government, but the double talk, broken promises and abuses of power from all levels make it a bad source. What about schools of higher learning some may quip but even they have at times been elitist and discriminatory to many so they too are are an unworthy option. Forget TV too often the men on TV today are portrayed as too stupid or too lazy. What about the church? As an Officer with The Salvation Army that would be my hope as well but sadly the church as an institution has been too judging, too condenming, too corrupt and so often too weak. These are no doubt some of the strongest reasons why the church has lost its voice in society.
Alas, where can my poor boy look to find that commodity of strength that loosed the chains of slavery, that freed captives, that spoke boldy against oppression of marginalized classes and that called corrupt government and authorities to change.
He can find it where it has always been - in the one who stood to face his accusers with conviction. He can find it in Jesus whose love changed the world forever.
My son can look to Jesus for strength as will I.
If the church that Jesus died for ever begins to act like the one it claims to worship perhaps the world will want to know who he really is.
