The Antidote

The call came early Saturday morning. A friend, who pastored a local church, was in intensive care at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. His plea that morning: “I have cancer, and it looks like an uphill battle. Will you come and care for my people while I fight the good fight?” I was a college professor at the time, preaching on Sunday whenever the invitation came. Within hours of the call that day, I had cleared my slate of Sunday commitments and set my sights to care for a church that was on their knees for their pastor. Sunday after Sunday we gathered in prayer, trusting the One who can do “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” During the week, I cared for the flock and spent many hours with my friend and his wife and daughters. The journey that year was a dance of hope and despair that ended with my friend on life support surrounded by his family. Even there we refused to give up hope, until the night our nurse gently told us his time had come. The family asked me to stay to share their vigil at his bedside. All night we prayed and sang. At times we sat in silence listening for the next breath, until the last breath. And then the silence was deafening.

I don’t remember how long we sat at his bedside. I remember praying, but the words of that prayer seemed lost in a sea of sorrow. At some point, I carefully gathered the cards that had been taped to the wall by his bed. And just as the sun was coming up, we all walked out of the hospital, too spent to say a word. I was numb, but already my mind was racing. How do I care for a faith community who has lost their beloved pastor? How do I love my friend who is now a widow far too young? What do I say to her daughters who have their whole lives ahead of them and no father to share all those special moments? I felt unequal to the task before me, unsure even how to deal with my own loss. When I reached the car, my daughter-in-law called- a perfect serendipity. The baby, our first granddaughter, had roused the family before dawn, so she decided to call to see how I was doing. Through tears, I told her just enough for her to know that my heart was breaking. All she said in response was, “Come, I will put a baby in your arms.” My husband always says: “Granddaughters are the antidote to all things bad.” A hug… a smile… a song… a story… and all the angst of the day seems to melt away. Our FabFive are such a beautiful antidote to all-things-bad in my life!

I am wondering, where is the antidote to all the bad happening in our nation today?

Last weekend, Bethpage Black Golf Club hosted the showdown between 24 of the best golfers in Europe and the United States. The Ryder Cup, a biannual competition that began in 1927, always promises incredible golf along with an energetic mix of drama, tension, camaraderie and sportsmanship. In almost 100 years of competition, the US has won 27 times versus 16 European victories. Yet, in recent years, Europe has dominated, claiming 9 of 12 matchups. This year, the golfers gathered in New York State to compete. The gallery was full of fans from both sides of the Atlantic ready to cheer their team on to victory. Historically, golf fans have held to a certain level of decorum- cheers for your favorite player, applause for a good shot, and silence as the golfer ‘addresses the ball.’ But this year, decorum was abandoned for crude, even vulgar comments shouted from the crowd. Intentional disruptions were caused to upset the shot of the European golfers. Derogatory jeers targeted not only the European golfers but their families as well, leaving at least one wife visibly in tears. More than 30 police and security guards were dispatched to quell the crowd, but still the comments continued. I wish these incidents were an anomaly. But the reports from the Ryder Cup competition seem to mirror the attitudes and actions of our society these days. When did we forget the lessons our mothers taught us as we sat on her knee- respect, descent language, the golden rule? When did anger and hate become the rule of the day? Is there any antidote to all the bad happening in our nation today?

The answer from God’s Word is clear and unequivocal. The people of God are called to be the correction that brings light into the darkness of this world. When God calls Abraham, He declares: “You will be a blessing to the nations.” (Genesis 12) Again, the call comes through the prophet Isaiah, “I will make you a light to the Gentiles, that my salvation will reach the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49) Jesus echoes that call, “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world. Let your light so shine that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5) St. Paul reminds us, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do in the name of Jesus.” (Colossians 3) If we claim His name, and wear His cross, and trust His promises, we are called to be His grace-full people in this world. God’s people must not sit on the sidelines wringing their hands and shaking their heads at the degradation of our society. We dare not share in the hate speech that so quickly infects us all. Instead, we are called to be the antidote- to shine with grace and mercy, to bring healing not division, to speak words of love not hate, and to point to the Father and not at each other. Our nation needs believers on both sides of the aisle to stand together, to be light and salt. May Lenape Valley continue to be God’s example of grace; may we bring to our individual spheres of influence the light of the Savior. When the world looks us, may our words and our deeds give glory to God.

With you, learning to shine that the world would see Jesus,
Anita