Be Still

 Once there was an old man who took his grandson a walk in the countryside. The old man’s face was creased with wrinkles. Like the rings inside an ancient log tree, each signified age and wisdom. The man, to the boys surprise stopped suddenly. He was calm, so calm the boy didn’t feel it right to interrupt this moment of solititude. ‘Listen’, the old man said. The boy listened. At first he could hear nothing but his own racing thoughts. ‘Truly listen’, the man said sensing the boys difficulty. So he tried again. He closed his eyes, took a breath and opened them again. ‘I hear it’, he whispered. They both fell silent again and listened to the gentle winds and the birds in the trees, and further a field the beautiful sound of a babbling brook. Then they listened to silence itself. ‘This my child is real worship.’ ‘To Jesus?’ ‘To Jesus.’

The Unthinkable

He stands upon a hill. His hair blows in the wind, as does his tartan kilt. Upon his cheek is a tear drop. It gently runs down his face. His eyes are wide with shock. From his mouth comes the terrifying words: “It’s over.”

His hands and legs begin to shake. His shepherd staff falls to the ground. He soon follows. Upon his knees he weeps and starts to push his head to the ground.

“No, no, no! Please God no!”

Then he lifts his head to look one more time. He stares across the highland landscape toward the distance where the city use to be. A dark mushroom cloud towers above the landscape The unthinkable has happened.

There is no more time for protests or campaigns. The ignorance of many including of course many leaders has led to this moment. Scotland the brave is now Scotland the doomed. In his heart he knows other cities will fall in other nation. The unthinkable has begun.

***

My dear friends, it does not have to end like this. Now is the time for action. We must be the peacemakers God has called us to be and never again be silent while the sin of war continues. Like the abolitionists of the slave trade, we must use our faith to abolish something else. Yes, with our faith in action and with hearts of love and compassion we must struggle for the abolition of the war trade.

(Image source: Wikipedia, Public Domain)