In the last few months many of us would have heard or read news from around the world. And we would have been somewhat alarmed. It seems that the world is getting increasingly more troubled and unpredictable. Old certainties are gone. Leaders are brazenly acting in self-interest, not even bothering to appeal to higher ideals. Careful, slow negotiation has been replaced by contests of will and hard deals.

War and violence drag on, new conflicts erupt, trust is continually broken. In addition to that, the political climate in many countries can be described as running red hot, with discontent bubbling and increasing polarization. Belittling and demonising people with different opinions and political convictions has become normal. In many countries there has been increasing violence on the streets, whether that is by protesters, criminals or government agencies or a combination of these. 

In times such as these our troubles in New Zealand seem small. We may well be thankful that we are in a small country in the uttermost reaches of the Pacific Ocean, a country that has a relatively stable political environment and a fairly relaxed culture. Here we can feel somewhat removed from the turbulence of the world. Here we are protected from the craziness of the world. This is especially so in summer, when according to good Kiwi tradition we take time off and live at a more leisurely pace.

But even here in New Zealand we are affected by worldwide changes. Even those who  have sheltered from the troubling international news had to contend with weather here this summer that was as unpredictable as it is becoming around the world. We all remember a few rained-out starts to the year, but the frequency with which we are experiencing the effects of natural disasters makes clear that some turbulence does also reach these islands in the far-flung reaches of the Pacific Ocean.  

It seems that we can escape neither the consequences nor the responsibility. We are part of a troubled world. Christians have always lived with that knowledge and have faced this world with deep sadness, enduring confidence in God, and the willingness to bring light in whatever way we can.