Ponderings

Another weekend is upon us. The sun shines, leaves move in the breeze, and there’s a quiet feeling in the air.

A man just walked down the sidewalk in front of my house. I’ve seen him walking past each morning this week, using a walker, one of his legs encased in a long, white support stocking. This morning, he walked past using only a cane, not a walker. Progress! I admire his stick-to-itiveness. And I wonder who he is and what caused his physical problem.

This morning I’m pondering the herd mentality I see portrayed on the news. Years ago, when lightning spooked a herd of buffalo or cattle, they would all run, dozens or hundreds thundering in one direction and woe to anyone or anything in their way. Sometimes their headlong, mindless rush carried them over a cliff and many of them perished.

We can all remember reading or seeing lynch mobs and more recently other large gatherings where people couldn’t hear the truth if it was being spoken. They chanted, they didn’t listen, they didn’t want to hear.

What would happen if some great American hero, a gifted orator from the past, or maybe a ragged Confederate infantryman could give a speech to the assembled Congress, laying out the truth of American history as it happened, the goals and causes and ideals that shaped a Nation, would it make any difference? And would anyone listen if they warned of rushing to judgment without careful thought of the consequences?

Since olden days, the bearer of bad news or the person who voices the truth has been in a precarious situation. Many times, people don’t want to hear the truth and close their ears to it. They don’t listen to the message but instead, kill the messenger. The Bible says something about people having itching ears and listening only to those who appeal to them. And then, there’s the story of the rich man in Hell who asked that someone from the dead go to his brothers and warn them not to come to that awful place. Abraham’s answer was that they wouldn’t be convinced even if someone rose from the dead. (Luke 16:19-31). So, I guess there’s my answer.

Anyway, this is the day which the Lord has made. I (we) will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24)

And, instead of pondering things that only make me sad, I’ll pray and trust the Lord, ask for mercy for this country, and, as the verse said, rejoice! There are many things for which to be glad and grateful and which lead to rejoicing. I’ll think on them.