I would ask outright if anyone besides my fellow bloggers is reading this, but such a thing is not easily said...
As I read the novel, I could not help but notice some repeated phrases and ideas. The one that I remember above all others is the phrase “such a thing is not lightly done.” Although I may have missed some instances, I counted the phrase repeated four times.
Why does it stand out to me? The simple reason is that each time the idea is expressed, it either breaks my heart because of the opportunity that was missed or it fills me with hope that all will be reconciled since men have finally learned to love each other. The phrase either highlights a barrier that still must be broken, or it shows the collapse of a barrier that was.
What is the root idea expressed in the phrase? I think it is simply an admission of man’s fear of his fellow man. It shows a place that I have been many times before, where I know what is the right thing to do, but my fear of laying my reputation on the line keeps me from doing it.
Because the struggle resonates so deeply with my own experience, I find it the ultimate triumph when a man goes against his fears and listens to his heart. The most memorable example for me in the book is when the young white man ignores the customary segregation and helps Kumalo exit the courtroom (p. 237).
How often do we allow our fear to limit us? In Proverbs we are told that “The fear of man lays a snare…” (Prov. 29:25, ESV). Why can’t we trust God to worry about the results and just do what we know is right? I guess such a thing is not lightly done.
(Image by Jay Koelzer, taken from images.com)
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