My struggle with our world... and the blessing of God's grace.

My life is shaped by various 'framing events' - some are much more arresting than others.  

Yesterday as I was driving to a meeting I stopped at a traffic light (strangely we call traffic lights 'robots' in South Africa... I'm not sure why!)  Seated just next to the traffic light was a street child.  There are many such children in South Africa, some are forced onto the streets because their family simply cannot afford to care for them, and so they beg for food and money.  Others are forced onto the street because of abuse at home, and there are many thousands of young children living on the streets because they have lost both their parents to HIV/AIDS.

I had only glanced at the young boy sitting next to the traffic light, as so often happens my attention was wrapped up on other things.  I was thinking of the meeting that I needed to get to, keeping an eye on the oncoming traffic so that I could find a gap to turn, and listening to the radio.

All of a sudden I noticed a minibus (we call them Taxis) slowing down as it approached the traffic light.  Suddenly the driver thrust his arm out of the driver's side window and threw and empty Coke bottle directly onto the child's head! I was shocked!  I still cannot understand what would make a person so callous and uncaring that they would slow down their vehicle in traffic and intentionally harm an already suffering child.

I stopped to see if the boy was OK.  He was, and of course he used this opportunity to get some money from me.  Feeling emotional I gave him a few Rand.

However, for the rest of the day I felt bruised.  I was bruised by the brutality of human nature, and bruised by the fact that I live in a world in which children live on the streets, a world in which people like me spend their lives rushing to meetings, a world in which someone would deliberately seek to hurt a child.

This morning as I turned to my devotions the following prayer brought me some comfort and hope:

Almighty God, send the light of your Son into our lives anew today.  Let your presence touch our minds and hearts with your mercy, grace, and truth.  Direct our thoughts, speech, and steps to the end that we may walk in your ways today and always.  In the name of Christ.  Amen.