Monday 03 December 2007

Background

Against a backdrop of a world that was against the will of God,Noah did all that God had commanded him. The world was evil, withall manner of things happening, such that God could not tolerateallowing it to continue.

So God told Noah to create the safe haven for his family and theanimals - a place of safety for those God had decided were worthsaving. Despite a seemingly bizarre request from God, Noah had thefaith to carry out the task he was asked to do. We also rememberthis week that God sent the rainbow to say that the earth would notbe destroyed again, and instead, Jesus was sent to save theworld.

Today is the International Day of Disabled People. When consideringwhich week I wanted to choose as my contribution to A Word in Time,I asked for either this week or Holocaust memorial week, twoimportant weeks as far as Disabled People are concerned and twothat are definitely linked. The horrors of the Holocaust are mainlyremembered by the world as the evil done to the Jewish people,however, one fact that is often overlooked, is that Disabled Peoplewere also systematically killed. Their deaths even contributed tothe Nazis' understanding of how to kill people efficiently.

How much evil has been done in this world, particularly in the last100 years? Despite our so-called advances in knowledge andunderstanding, the fights for equality that were particularlyvisible in the emancipation of women, has much changed?

Noah was commanded by God to take into the ark his family and allthe animals of creation. He did what he was told. God knew that hecould rely on Noah to carry out the work as well as relying onNoah's faithfulness.

Paul tells the Church in Corinth that the Church is incompletewithout all parts of the body represented (1 Corinthians 12).Some of us may wish that God had told Noah to leave the spidersout, but the world would be a very different place withoutspiders.

Today there is still a question as to whether the Church hasunderstood its role and its responsibility to do what God plannedfor it. Is the Church a place of inclusion and safety?

To Ponder

Take time to think about how inclusive yourchurch is. What can you do to make it more inclusive?

What recognition do you give to Disabled People?Is it just charity and pity, or is it active involvement asequals?

Take time to remember today those Disabled Peopleand their families that were affected by the Holocaust.