I am posting it here because the situation in the world weighs heavily on us all and like others we want to do something but don’t know what.
Like others I have been watching the events in Ukraine unfold and my heart breaks. As it does for the situation in Afghanistan and Syria. Let’s not forget these conflicts as the world focuses on a new region of pain. For those living or fleeing these regions, this is real, terrifying and devestating. I cannot imagine what it must be like but as a follower of Jesus I cannot sit and do nothing.
The world is in chaos. A mess that is so tangled is hard to know when and how this happens, and it’s so sad to see the death and destruction that occurs because powerful people, or people in powerful positions thirst for more power. They will rationalise it, push for it and hunger after it. But for what purpose?
I’m not sure what I can do in this situation but let’s start by being kind to people, offering love and grace to those in our community and accepting that not everyone will agree with us. This is something that I am in control of. I cannot control Putin, the Taliban, Isis or any other hateful regime.
I can control how I respond to people in the everyday. I can love others and ask myself in difficult situations “What is the kind response here?” (as my son Josh would say). In the day to day interactions with people, in the hard situations, what actions and behaviours will bring about a kind response.
And I can choose to volunteer at, or support in some way, the wonderful organisations that support people on the ground in places of conflict. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but it is something. I know sometimes in these situations we feel helpless, because it seems that there is so little we can do. But when many people do the little things, it adds up to bigger things.
So if you feel you can’t do much, do what you can, no matter how small, and trust that along with others the impact of the little will be much larger.
To people in countries where war and conflict is rife, I wish I could do more, and I will do what I can.