I’m sat on the steps of the Federal Hall Memorial Building on Wall Street overlooking The New York Stock Exchange. The home of America’s financial powerhouse is a throng with Japanese tourists taking pictures and snapping up banks.
There is a palpable anxiety on Wall Street. I’m struck by the sheer number of people drawing deep on their cigarettes before pressing the stubs into the wall-mounted ashtrays like so many hopeful prayer requests pushed into the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. But these petitions are offered to the financial titans. The request is simple; restore things to the way they were before the distressed mortgage loans released their toxic fumes into our digital global financial village. Dean’s insightful blog ingeniously entitled “Secs in the City” sheds light on why the Masters of the Universe may be unable to un-answer their prayers.
I’m in New York this week on business. I love Manhattan. Other than London it’s probably my favourite city in the world. Like London, New York is a city in need of spiritual direction; dare I say spiritual leadership! Like everybody else I have been riveted by the American election and much as I would like to say otherwise I don’t expect the spiritual lead to come from either of the Presidential nominees. But buyer’s remorse is not confined to politics. Charismatic Christendom is suffering from an acute case of it too. After all the claims that this was the real thing what happened in Lakeland proved to be sub-prime. Like investors short-selling on Wall Street, The God Channel pulled the plug and got out of Dodge. But thanks to the sloppy spiritual underwriting and reckless risk taking the church will be left to foot the bill. When will we learn that leadership is about how to be not how to do?
What the deal makers of Wall Street and the Power-seekers of Lakeland need are the Peace Makers of the Kingdom of God. Lost and saved alike men need something (someone) that they can trust in. Perhaps this generation of Wall Street traders have learnt that “Optimism means faith in men and in the human potential; hope means faith in God and his omnipotence.” Let’s hope the church figures that out too.
When I’d finish sitting here on these steps watching the bewildered traders go by, in more of a daze than the usual blur (I can’t help thinking that the New York minute seemed to last the full 60 seconds today.) I will wonder across to Broadway and turn right, taking the short walk to Liberty Plaza and sit by the site of the World Trade Center. It will be inspirational to see life emerging from rubble. Out of the ashes of the Twin Towers life is emerging. Life always springs from death.
So as you g this week remember “Whatever house you enter, first say, Peace be to this house! And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him.” And in that way you’ll help turn their mourning into dancing again.
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