大象传媒

Good morning. I remember, as a child in Northern Ireland, visiting distant relatives and on the way through towns and villages my parents telling me, 'All this is different to when we were young.' They鈥檇 tell me how both life and land had changed in the post-war years. I was amazed at the history they'd lived through, but never imagined that I would be in that position.听

Today is Nelson Mandela International Day which I think gives me a great opportunity to talk to my young children about how the world has changed in my life time. I want them to understand why we celebrate a South African who died in 2013. Of course that means explaining the context of Apartheid and how Nelson Mandela became a symbol of resistance to its evils. But talking about that move from political prisoner to peacemaker and president, it鈥檚 probably far too easy for a dad to moralise. But it is a perfect chance to talk about virtues like perseverance and forgiveness, truth and reconciliation and to affirm that even heroes are not perfect. Mandela was not without his faults, but it鈥檚 good to be reminded that mistakes should not prevent us working for a better world.

Jesus had a vision for the future where the poor are raised up, where prisoners are set free, where the sick are made well and oppression is no more. There's still a way to go with that, so maybe this Mandela Day we'll just imagine what might be different by the time our kids are adults and telling their children the changes they鈥檒l have seen. After all Mandela told us, 'It's in your hands to make of our world a better place for all.'
听
God of justice and freedom
help us to imagine a better world
and not just to see a vision听
but to work for it to come to pass
so that one day soon
all will be done on earth听
as it is in heaven.
Amen.