If there ever were a time when I have felt fearful for the future, yet hopeful for each day, it is now. As I contemplate the chaos that seems to erupt from the White House and trickles down like lava to the outhouse, I can’t even fathom what our future holds or how we will ever rise again. There seems to be such a chasm between people, rich and poor, between viewpoints of common welfare and waging war. Our perspectives and values appear to be lost and our beliefs differ so drastically and are all downtrodden almost daily. Yet in my heart I hold a hope for all of humanity that we can surely set aside our differences and move forward instead of backwards. So no doubt these are the best of times and the worst of times.
Our country is much like what Charles Dickens’ famous quote from A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
This sentiment resonates to us all today as we are challenged to find the good in people and not only see the darkness that is truly ahead of us. All this conflict between race, religion and what is even relevant is so resistant today that either way you it feels like you are either climbing up a treacherous mountaintop or you’re sliding down a slippery slope. Hatred and oppression appear to be running rampant with no one able to stop it. The rift that divides us all absolutely seems to be so wide that no man can conquer it on his own. This is true, because no one is able to stand on their own and bear the weight of all responsibilities. Surely, it takes us all working together, hand in hand, to be able to cross this great divide.
Perhaps Dickens said it best: “No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
In Dickens’ tale he expressed a vision that human prosperity cannot be matched with human despair. The same is true today. Yes, there will always be good and evil, light and darkness and wisdom and foolishness, but you have to decide which side you are going to be on, not in opposition but in right standing for truth and justice.
I will always believe that all people are equal in the eyes of God.
Galatians 3:28 states, “ There is neither Jew or Greek, there is neither slave or free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
So these are the best of times and these are the worst of times. You just have to decide live in despair or walk the hope. The choice is yours, my friend.
