Connection

There is a myth alive and well which states there is no connection between what one believes and how one acts.  I can understand the difficulty in accepting one’s own mortality and weaknesses.  Denial is an easy defense for what we find difficult to see in the mirror.  Yet the increasing norm of accepting the inherent disconnect found with personal and corporate failures is both ironic and sad.  We hold values close to our hearts.  What we do, especially when we think nobody is looking or cares, is an expression and reflection of our true ideals.  We may not be able or willing to look at them, yet we actively share them with the very people we are often trying to mislead or hide from. 
 
I enjoy walking the streets of the cities I travel in at night, especially when the weather is anything but wet, snowing, or extremely cold.  In the stillness of the night, only people are the cause for action.  As I walked the streets of New York late at night I found myself quietly seeing human beings at their best and worst.  The sight of people reaching out to unconditionally help others in distress brings hope to the darkest corner of any life.  In contrast, the worship of self brings out the worst of humanity.
 
It is ironic how people ignore the reality of their actions.  Watching a car go by with a religious symbol on the bumper creates a certain expectation.  Seeing the occupant whistling and slinging less than subtle invitations at anyone resembling a woman walking by is a total disconnect.  When someone represents love and acceptance their actions can and should reflect the same.  The old saying “Hate me, hate my Father [God]—it's all the same,” (John 15.23) reflects the true reality of the situation.
 
We can break the cycle and reconnect.  We can look in the mirror and see the horror of our brokenness while also seeing the child whom God unconditionally loves and accepts.  We can be the first connection.  We can help and nurture others.