A Sower Went Out To Sow

The Word of God is stubborn and persevering (Mark 4: 1-20). I would imagine that the sower is stubborn and persevering. The Word of God, which is compassion, love, mercy, inclusivity, truth, and so on will bear fruit, whatever may be the obstacles from within or from outside, provided there is a sower. There can be difficulties; no thorns, rocks, paths, and birds can steal it away entirely—the world still has good soil. It was an encouragement to the disciples who were hearing this parable, and working to spread the values that Jesus preached.

I believe if there is someone to stand up or speak up at the right time, whatever may be the odds, it will eventually bear fruit. When a student asks a very disturbing question in a class, an average teacher gets upset, and asks the student to get out for he disturbs his and the so called normal class's peace. But remember, you may have sent the student out, but the question remains; and the question will seek answers. I have seen people being left behind, put out of families and communities, being excommunicated from religious and political establishments because they dared to question; they may have paid a price; but the question will remain.

I recently came across a thought provoking illustration of a line of matchsticks, a kind of viral matchsticks, which caught fire, and burning from one end. It appears that the destiny of every matchstick in that line is to burn and die. Bu then one matchstick decides to fall of the line, stopping the chain of sticks catching fire from the previous one; and the fire stops. That is the power of one thoughtful action for goodness, for truth, for mercy.

The Tank Man (also known as the Unknown Protester or Unknown Rebel) is the nickname given to an unidentified individual, presumed to be a Chinese man, who stood in front of a column of Type 59 tanks leaving Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 5, 1989. On the previous day, the government of China cleared the square of protesting students after six weeks of standoff, in the process killing hundreds or even thousands of people mostly in other parts of Beijing. The lead tank halted to avoid running him over, the man then climbed on top of the tank. The PLA soldiers operating the tank then opened a hatch used for entering and exiting the tank, and briefly talked to the man. The incident was filmed and shared to a worldwide audience. Internationally, it is considered one of the most iconic images of all time.

In Hitler’s Germany a man stood with his hands down among the sea of Germans giving a Nazi salute. It was in 1936 and a newly built ship was about to leave the harbour of Hamburg. The photo shows a crowd of people, who are believed to be workers, raising their arms for the infamous gesture, except for a man believed to be August Landmesser who is standing with his arms crossed, squinting.

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SPRINGBOARDS and WALKING STICKS

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