A DEAR FRIEND OF MINE left me crying yesterday.
Not on purpose. And not a bawling cry. Just a wiping tears away so I could keep watching the video.
There I was, working on the Casual English Bible, paraphrasing Proverbs 7, which is an old man’s warning about ladies of the night. No reason to cry there, unless you never got that memo.
My phone dinged an unusual tone. It was a link to a video from one of my friends in Germany. He had stayed with us as an exchange student in high school years ago, and I still have to remind myself that he’s somebody else’s son.
I’ll give you the link in a second, but I want you to know why I cried. And why I immediately sent my friend a note of thanks, and forwarded the link to my wife and kids.
It wasn’t so much about the music
It wasn’t the lyrics, sung mostly in other languages.
Nor the music, wonderful though it is.
It was the people that did it to me.
Vocalists and musicians from all over the world, sequestered in their homes, yet united for this one song.
As I listened, I thought that if people from all over the world can agree to make such beautiful music together, we should be able to step it up…and make a better world, one that treats each person with an equal share of compassion, respect, and worth.
“America First”?
How is that different than “Me first”?
Christianity teaches “Me last.”
It teaches “Others first.”
How can we begin to unite the world in peace until we stop pretending we’re most important?
Many make fun of the ideal, “peace on earth,” as though it’s not possible.
It doggone well better be, in this age of pandemics without a cure, nukes near terrorists, and toxins that can kill us all.
Some Christians are among pessimists who say peace isn’t possible. They say we’re going to hell as a species and that Jesus will come to save the godly.
Jesus already came, to save the ungodly. When he did, he showed us the way to peace on earth.
We’ll either do what Jesus says, or we’ll dang* well die not trying.
Here’s the song. If it doesn’t move you, there’s a possibility you’re sedated, soulless, or you’ve been injected with a disinfectant.
On the other hand, it could mean I’ve been cooped up with my Beloved and with Buddy the Dog one day too long.
So, I hope it moves you.
Mladifest Međugorje choir and orchestra performing “Hosanna”
* “Dang” is a weaker word than I’m feeling.
Amen! Thank you.
Thank you for this…it doesn’t take much these days to make me ???? cry.
Please keep me in your prayers, my mom went home to be with the Lord, passing Easter Sunday and on her 87th Birthday. It was very hard during such a bleak time in this world.
Please keep me in your prayers as I put my house up for sale as I try to downsize to a little Townhouse that I can afford.
Thank you for your ministry Stephen…..keep encouraging me!
I was expecting something somber but…what a mood-lifter! I’m going to be singing “Hosanna” all evening now. Thanks for sharing.