Photo by David J. Phillip/AP
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Philippians 4:8
Every day the
news is filled with terror, death, tragedy, and injustice. When I signed on to my computer to look up a
story I planned to mention in this article, I was greeted with headlines reporting
the mass murder of 59 innocent people in Las Vegas. Hurricanes, earthquakes,
war, and terror seem to be everywhere. But St. Paul encourages us to think
about that which is true, pure, and lovely. Such things seem elusive, but they
are there, even in the midst of the storms.
God’s grace and
beauty can shine through the darkest events, and God’s image is most often
reflected on the faces of the people involved. In the aftermath of the storms,
in the chaos and violence of a terrorist attack, in the rubble of an
earthquake, the honorable, the just, and the lovely are glimpsed.
A photo taken after
Hurricane Harvey shows a young officer carrying a mother and child through the
storm waters. The mother cradles her son in her arms protectively, while both
are enveloped in the arms of their rescuer. A mother in labor, evacuated from a
Mexico City hospital during the earthquake, gave birth to her baby on the
street. Her husband said, “The world was falling around us and he came to save
ours. It’s the greatest message of love and example of strength and bravery for
the world.” A young man gives his life for his beloved wife, shielding her from
the bullets of the Vegas killer with his own body.
The true, the honorable, the lovely and gracious are most clearly visible in the people that reflect God’s image
in our world: in the face of the rescuer; the embrace of a mother protecting her child; the birth of a child; the
sacrificial love of a husband who gives his life for his bride. God has made us in His image, placed us in His
vineyard, and sent His Son to show us the way, so that we may become, like Him, sons and daughters
of God, empowered to be light in the darkness, hope in the storm, filled with a
love that gives without counting the cost.
Comments
Post a Comment