On the cusp of greatness

In my mind, our nation and our world is at a definining moment. To this point, we have defined ourselves as individual countries within continents. We are are pitted with some and allied with others. We have decided who our friends and enemies are based on a few people within an entire nation.

We compete. We do our best to be at the head of the pack. We want the label of being the best and we want all of the blessings. "Buy USA!" "God Bless America!"

How does that language mesh with our spoken desire to help other nations? How does that language contribute to the good of people?

Our world today is different. Travel is easier, cheaper, quicker, and more possible. Speaking to someone overseas is as easy and costs as little as walking out our front door and talking to our neighbor (and we probably talk to more people overseas than we do to our next door neighbors!).

How can we use the tools we have to our benefit? How can we use our networking and connections in a way that brings us all together instead of pitting us against one another? How can we use our knowledge and technology to bring voices to the table across the globe so that people who are in situations of poverty, domination, and suffering can speak out about what they need to help them move forward? How can we bridge the gap to bring their knowledge of their space--whether in Meru, Kenya in Africa or South Dallas, Texas in the United States--together with others' knowledge of systems and politics?

I believe the possibilities are becoming more and more real. The real question is, will we do it? No...the real question is,

Do we want to do it?

Do we truly have the desire to be allies with people? Do we want to get to know the individuals behind the dictators? Do we want to hear the voices of the poor? Do we want to figure out ways to work together to make ALL of our countries stronger...or do we want to remain competitive and separate to see who's the BEST?

Right now our country is broken. But is because of that brokenness that I believe we are on the cusp of greatness.

But it all depends on what we decide to do with that greatness and how we choose to use the power that we still think we have.