ASSURANCE: MATURITY AND CHANGE FOR THE BETTER ARE SURELY POSSIBLE.

One friend of mine, well educated but pessimistic about the possibility for the Christians of being able to make the difference, and force a change for the better of the societal behavior, uses to argue with me, that this will never happen, while these groups remain closeted in their remnant, and blindful, belief that God is here for the sole purpose of keeping them safe and happy.

He believes that real trust in God, and faithful following of His leading and commands, should empower them in such a way that could force the necessary changes.

He argues, and I tend to agree with him, that the societal role of Christians should be standing firm, stating and being consequential with our inconformity and uncompromising allegiance to what is right, to what is just, to what is derived from the negation of the inevitability of having to give up to the selfish, even if alluring, temptations of the materialistic search for happiness in term of wealth, comfort and personal well being.

I want to insist with him that there is a way, there is a possibility, there is a path, there is a care and protection available, even if it could be consider as a naïve interpretation of what Christians should believe, do and react to, when challenged into spiritual maturity and consequential behavior.

I want to share again the content of a very interesting message related to the Cherokee Indian adolescents coming into adulthood ritual that the following message refers to in such a sensitive and moving way.

THE CHEROKEE INDIANS RITUAL

When a Cherokee Indian boy starts his adolescence, his father takes him to the forest, blindfolded. And leaves him there in the darkness!

He has to sit all night on a trunk, blindfolded, until the sun rays come up, again, the following morning.

He cannot call for help! Because once he survives the night he has become a man! He cannot share his experience with the other boys because everyone of them has to face the challengeof entering manhood on their own!

Naturally the boy is terrified. He hears all types of noises. He feels that savage beasts are circling around. That howling wolves are nearing! And maybe humans out to hurt him!

He hears the winds blowing and squealing, and the grass unceasingly rustling while he sits on the trunk resisting the urge of taking off the blindfold.

He does not dare to do so because it is the only way to come out, as a man, from the ordeal.

Finally, after this terrifying night, the sun comes up and the boy lifts the blindfold… and then… is when he discovers that his father is sitting beside him!

His father has not left him. He has, silently, watched over him all night, seated on another trunk, to keep all dangers out.

Similarly we are never alone. Even if we cannot see Him in the midst of our life´s darknesses, He is always beside us, seated on the trunk of His mercy, silently watching over!

When injustices and adversities seem unbearable and unsurmountable, we must trust Him, and wait for tomorrow´s morning!

A new sunrise will surely come. And we will see Him face to face in the splendor of His glory!

If you believe, hope, endure, and wait for a better future, share this message. If you do not so, maybe it is because you lifted your blindfold up before sunrise and looked to the other side and did not see Him.