By Rev. Janet Stobie
I’m glad you have picked up this newspaper today.
For me, local papers are extremely valuable. They tell me what is happening in my community. Even more than that, they often carry Good News stories. The national news is depressing. The truth they have to tell focuses on bloodshed, treachery, greed, and cruelty. Things I can’t fix. My heart cries each time I read about it. I’ve been trying hard to stick my head in the sand and ignore the national news, but it seeps in anyway.
We went to the theatre with friends. At the intermission, they shared with us some details of their vacation in Colombia, South America. They spoke of the good work the Mennonite missionaries had accomplished in the past and were still accomplishing there. Stories of shared kindnesses. Stories of schools built and so much more. As they talked, I thought, this is the news I want to hear.
My goal in writing is teaching love and caring for one another. Maybe, someday, the headlines in the national papers will carry messages of kindness, co-operation, love. Stories of schools built, safe water systems installed where needed, and enough food for everyone everywhere.
I know that here in our community, there are stories to tell of young teens voluntarily carrying groceries for a senior, or raking his yard; stories of children having a lemonade stand to earn money towards sending a friend to camp. I know there are stories about seniors’ choirs bringing their music to Hospice Peterborough. There are stories everyday, everywhere about kindness and caring.
Even as news comes from war-torn places, I’m sure there are instances of people caring for people. I’d like to hear those stories. When all we hear about happening in our world is cruelty, hunger, death, we become numb. Our hearts are overloaded, and like me, we want to turn it all off. We need some heroes who are kind, who care, who do loving things. Those heroes will help us to become more loving and caring. Their stories will empower us to follow in their footsteps.
One of my favourite passages in the Bible comes from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippian Church, “Summing it all up, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst, the beautiful, not the ugly, things to praise, not things to curse.” (Philippians 4:8 The Message).
Local newspapers seem to be more able, or freer to include Good News. For sure they are closer to the people and more likely to hear what we are doing day to day.
When the time comes that kindness and caring sell national newspapers, we will begin to have a world full of peaceful, caring people.
For more Reflections, www.janetstobie.com.