Resiliency

New York is a resilient city.  London is another.  Both are standing tall, resisting the changes others try to force on them, yet bending, flexing, and slowing moving into a new future.  When you walk the streets of the city, either one, you find a stately presence which almost defies understanding.  How can a village this size have soul?  Where did this community discover the ways of successfully working together?  Did anyone realize just how much potential was here when this started?
 
Almost before your heart is finished with the questions you know there are no answers.  Not a soul alive when these cities were born would recognize them today!  Frankly they would be confused.  There would, in all probability, put on a strong argument of how improbable it was that this could be the city they loved and cherished.  Too much has changed!  There are too many people.  Everything is chaos.  Our response could be equally strident; it is our chaos, our family, and our desire to improve that you see.  You gave us this thirst, longing, and ability to realize our dreams.  This is your and our city.
 
Far too often we take an alternative route.  In the face of adversity we give in to opposing forces.  We concede the argument.  Even before a battle is finished we have written the epitaph on the war.  Our stamina does not reach the height to qualify as a joke.  We are not the first.  Even in the of Jesus’ trial, when “Pilate tried his best to pardon him, but the Jews shouted him down: ‘If you pardon this man, you're no friend of Caesar's. Anyone setting himself up as ‘king’ defies Caesar.’” (John 19.12)  He knew what was right.  He understood the issues.  He had the power.  Where was his resiliency?
 
I wonder where I’ve placed mine as the dawn breaks on a new day.  Where will I stand today?  How will I respond to those around me in my community?  Will I, will you?  Ah, the questions we can only answer with time and steps.