When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, I was the Commentary Editor for the Old Dominion University’s student newspaper, The Mace and Crown. One of our professors (I wish I could remember his name) had been in the Army stationed in West Germany during those early days of that Wall that was built by a cruel government to keep its citizens from fleeing to a better life in the free world.
I interviewed the professorfor a story about his experiences. One of the stories he told was about how one day the East Germans took truckloads of garbage and dumped the contents over the wall from the eastern sector onto the western side. Everyone in West Berlin was outraged at such a terrible deed. It was the topic of conversation on every street corner , in every shop, and in every home. People were talking about the best way to get revenge.
Then the word went out from West Berlin’s Mayor ,Willie Brandt, that every flower, every petal, every bit of green that could be gathered was to be brought to an appointed spot at the wall. Then all that beauty and fragrance was thrown over the wall to the eastern sector. And above the wall a great banner was hoisted. As the banner was unfurled, these words were revealed, “Each gives what he has.”
The East German government had thrown garbage; the West German people threw back flowers.
What will be our choice, as we give to God and our neighbor?
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
Song of Songs 2:12
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment