DAFFODILS, ROLLING FIELDS, SHEEP … AND
CITIES.
I have
designed a course on the subject of Culture. I have had the privilege of
delivering the course to those taking degrees in theology, to students who have
completed advanced training in Counselling, social workers, foster carers, and
sixth form students.
For many who
have a church background, I usually ask the question: “What it is you might see
on what may be called, a “Christian Calendar”, Christian Magazine, Daily
devotional books, or other such literature?” Most students give me the common answer,
being the first part of my heading—daffodils, rolling fields, and perhaps even nice
clean white sheep grazing in total serenity.
When I ask
if readers have ever seen a city in such literature, I often see the lines on
people's faces as they think on it. Usually,
the answer is, “No! Never!”
I was a
regular visitor to churches in the USA for many years, and what surprised me
was the venom I found in many countryside churches concerning cities. People
almost want such places to explode or slip in the sea and never be seen again.
Our company
office is in Tottenham in the heart of London, and somehow, Tottenham has a bad
name for Knife crime. There is a lot of it. Yet there is also a great deal of
community care. I noted during the days of CV19 the many community-organised
groups that got together to deliver food, do shopping for locked-in people, cook
meals for free and provide them for those in need. So much of that kind of
behaviour. So, sure, Cities can be dangerous. However, let me tell you what I
see as the positives of Cities.
•
They can be places
of protection and safety.
•
They can be places
where people skills can be best deployed, as in industry.
•
They can be where organisations
can be most usefully designated, giving great opportunities to many.
•
They can be places
where individual people-skills are best developed - specialisation.
•
A place of a wonderful
community and co-operation (unity).
•
A place of wealth
creation.
•
A place of resource.
•
A place of influence
beyond its borders and often is.
In other words:
It should be good.
•
A place of richness,
in terms of creativity, how about, 'Silicone Valley”?
•
A place of vision -
Where there isn't vision people perish
So be careful what you think about
Cities. They are actually great places to be.
Sadly, people who move to the
countryside look at me with sympathy when I tell them where I live. “How sad
for you!” they say. “What a shame! I would hate to live in the City.” Usually,
I am too polite to respond, - but, do you know how insulting it is to say
derogatory things about where people live? Do you know that more people live in
cities than anywhere else in today's world?
For my Christian readers, those of
you are used to seeing Christian literature with fields, flowers, and cottages
with flowers around the door planted by a flowing stream with lambs jumping in
rolling hills outside your living room window. Have you ever looked at what God
promised us at the end of the age?
The New Testament Apostles went to
the biggest and most influential cities, not country villages. Epistles are
written to the likes of huge cities like Rome, Ephesus, Corinth Philippi, and
Thessalonica.
Revelation Chapter 21 verse 2 is
striking, isn't it country lovers? What God promises us at the end of the age
is a city, how amazing is that?
Words
600
Adrian BlogSpot
www.adrianhawkes.blogspot.co.uk
