A Sunset Prospective

Our family enjoyed a wonderful vacation, mostly in Western Michigan. One of the most captivating parts of the trip was the evening sunsets over Lake Michigan. Indeed, we experienced a myriad of sunsets. Most of the sunsets were enjoyed on clear evenings, and they were spectacular. On a couple of evenings the cloud cover was enough that we couldn’t enjoy the sunset as much. However, my favorite sunset occurred on our last evening. That sunset was filled with awe, wonder, and it was slightly chaotic. Let me explain, the sky was filled with dazzling colors of purple, orange, and red. The sun went down on the horizon just below clouds that were gray, and filled with rain. The beauty of that sunset (my favorite one) was the reality that it still occurred amidst the chaos of the storm clouds that were rolling in off the lake. I was captured in this moment of intense beauty, though I was fully aware of the chaos and the disruption of the clouds. I appreciated the beauty of that sunset because of the chaotic clouds. Why? The beauty, in a sense, was determined to take center stage, and it did. In our world, especially the last few years, we seem to be experiencing an increase in division, hatred, and political and social unrest. It can be easy to just see that chaotic landscape, and miss the beauty. However, instead of hoping for beauty to win out, we can be the beauty the world needs. How? We can bring about sunset moments of joy, love, and wonder, when we meet this moment with love, grace, and empathy. The world does not need us to be pawns that widen the chasms of division in our country, and world. The world needs us to be those that heal the chasms of division and hatred. The world needs us to be more like Jesus. The world needs us to be more like love. The world needs us to care for All of our neighbors. The chaos and cloudiness of this season won’t just disappear. However, we can still enjoy and experience beauty, despite the chaos. Let’s disrupt division with unity. Let’s disrupt hatred with love. Let’s disrupt chaos with peace. Let’s disrupt chasms of separation, with bridges of empathy.

Blessings!
Pastor Matthew