Repairer of the Breach

Daniel - 14 March 2010

A few days ago I heard about the engagement of a former student. Its always fun to hear about these events, and to see a young person become an adult, and a smiling one at that.

This one caused me to take an additional second to pause and be grateful that there are young people who can take what life gives them (sometimes of the most difficult things that life has to offer) and to turn around and make something good out of the chaos - something very good.

A favorite scripture of mine is found in Isaiah 58:12. In this chapter, Isaiah is speaking of those who, despite being handed afflictions, are able to quietly make the sacrifices required to hand the next generation a better life than the one that they were given. He wrote to these individuals:


Unfortunately, in our society, there seem to be breaches everywhere anymore. Just in the last week or so I have had multiple students quietly come to me and talk about some of the breaches that they are dealing with. I suppose such things have always gone on, but it seems like few of the youth escape anymore.

Many would seem to do just the opposite of what Isaiah suggests. They justify personal dishonesty (the most personal of dishonesties at that) because, after all, they were handed some significant problems from the generation and generations that preceded them. In assuming this privilege, they simply make the breach larger for the next generation, who will be handed the same decision - "Do I repair or widen the breach?"

At some point the breaches become so large that the final generation is left with little to no hope, and civilization collapses with privileged away civility.

This young lady, this week, gave me hope. She knows the source to where she can look to gain the power to build the wall of safety around her new family. She, a few years ago, was blessed to have another family - a new family -show her how it's done.

May there always be families who will reach out to show those who live without safety and stability that these things are possible. That there are happy families out there, that life is good when good is invested into it, and that the most important things in life aren't things.

Thanks Rachel - proud of you kid!