Benevolence

Benevolence bɪˈnɛvələns // noun: the quality of being well meaning; kindness.

For the past few weeks, across the country and across the world, it seems like things have been spiralling wildly in all directions. From bombings to shootings; political uncertainty to racist attacks; it seems that humans all over the place have been struggling and suffering, mourning and uncertain. 

I wish I could say that these few weeks have been filled with wise musings and a hopeful attitude. The reality is that I got swept along, into the uncertainty, and felt a bit worried and a bit scared about the state of our world. Constantly reading the news, I prayed for Turkey, the British government and a community in Dallas, and somewhere, I felt myself get a bit lost and uncertain about how to pray next.

It's taken a while. Even when my faith's been certain, the world has seemed less so. And consequently, my prayers have felt weak or feeble.

But there's been one simple realisation over the past few days. When it seems like things are falling apart, there is still joy. 

On Friday I got to hang out with my little sister. On Saturday I watched some great people marry one another. On Sunday someone British won the tennis. Today, my morning emails included a photo of a newborn baby. Across the world, little and big moments of hope are evident. Everywhere, people are still generous, still loving, still striving for good. 

I stumbled across these words on Twitter (turns out they're actually on the website I edit every day) and got a small glimpse of that bigger picture that's been missing in my prayers the past while:

"We do not pray ex nihilo. We pray for more of whatever it is we see. Nothing comes from nothing – certainly not faith like this. 

Tonight I’m blessing the evidence of miracles; the pre-existing goodness, the presence of Christ in these streets, these surgeries, these schools, these art galleries, these pubs, these homes, these wards. Witnessing so many minor miracles I applaud the world. If all of this is happening all around me, what might not happen next?

And so I stand here now in this subterranean place of prayer and it seems self-evident that there is more light in the night than darkness in the day. There is goodness breaking through, everywhere I look. And I’m praying for miracles tonight with greater faith than frustration for once. I can see creation rising like the moon above the Fall. 

Ultimately, almost inevitably, benevolence wins the day quietly."  - Pete Greig

Benevolence: a brilliant word and incredible quality that is, lest we forget, inherent within human beings.  

Even when the world seems like it's falling apart, kindness exists. I find it pretty staggering that irrespective of geographical boundary, we all know how to be nice to someone. When I travelled halfway across the globe and met some of the poorest people, they offered me dinner. When I wandered down the street to an acquaintance's house, they offered me a cup of tea. When I was crying last week,  I was offered a tissue.

We humans do look out for one another. We work together. We are capable of so much more than the news gives us credit for. 

Benevolence wins the day quietly. We don't often see it. But it's always there.