Are There Any Words for Where We Are Today?

photo by Nina Childish / flickr

“Therefore, since it is by God’s mercy that we engaged in this ministry we do not lose heart. We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word; but by the open statement of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of God.” 

                           II Corinthians 4. 1-2

There is an old story that I keep remembering these strange days. There was a farmer who was known as the greatest “cusser” in the county. And one morning he lost the tailgate out of his wagon and strewed potatoes for a half a mile down a long steep hill. Neighbors saw him picking up the potatoes and said, “Why ain’t you cussing?” He muttered, “Words are inadequate to meet the situation.”

And when I look around me I feel like the old farmer. I have no words to express where we are today. A President that has lied ten to twelve thousand times since he put his hand on the Bible and vowed to lead us all. We could look in just about any direction and can say: “Is this real?” Weeks ago I read the heartbreaking story of ill immigrants who have come here from other countries to receive life-saving treatment they do not get back home. A woman from Guatemala was only three feet tall and sitting in a wheelchair. She said: “*If I am sent back home I will die.” The lady has 33 days to leave the country or face deportation. This little known fact One immigrant went to California as a child to participate in a drug study that has helped Americans survive this rare genetic disease. The story could be repeated time after time. No words, no words. 

The cruelty of this President is unbelievable. Children ripped from their parents’ arms—many never to see their children again. Others in cages. The withholding of aid to desperate places that have not saluted our President. States that did not vote for Mr. Trump ignored, neglected or picked out for particular punishment. Remember his promise to send migrant children to cities and states that did not vote for him. No word, no words.

This growing white nationalism movement can be dropped at the door of the man who reluctantly refuses to renounce all those who carry torches and spew hatred. No words.

This anti-science bias that flows from the White House is just unbelievable. Every scientist of repute has warned us about climate change. Our President spent four minutes at the UN discussion of this most serous problem for the whole world. No words. 

The anti-religion movement is growing. Atheism is on the rise. When these folks see the followers of Jesus closing their eyes to all the injustice and heartbreak around us we are reminded of Nazi Germany so silent on Sundays as the Nazis movement grew. Timothy Egan has written an article I’ll pass on to you if you are interested. “What you hear about the phonies, the charlatans who wave Bibles, the theatrically pious, and they are legion. Vice-President Mike Pence wears his faith like a fluorescent orange vest. But when he visited the border this summer and saw humans crammed like cordwood in the Texas heat, that faith was invisible.” No words. No words. 

The passage of Scripture quoted at the beginning off this piece reminds us that we are not to lose heart. Dear God, that is a hard thing to follow these sad days. But if you finger runs down that Corinthian chapter he reminds us broken weak church that “the extraordinary power belongs to God and not too us.” Read Paul's words and take heart: ”We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed, always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that there life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.” (II Corinthians 4. 7-8) And the Apostle ended his diatribe saying once again, “we do not lose heart.” These are the words. for us all.

This is not a piece about voting and politics. Hillary or Biden or Obama for Trump or Pence. It is a larger concern of what kind of people are we in this country. The dream of America is still so hopeful to so many around the world. And today that hope is not gone but it terribly diminished. 

Maybe there are no words to respond to the outrages of our time—but we must try. We must all try.

--Roger Lovette / rogerlovette.blogspot.com