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The Wind of the City: Civilization and Contents

The Wind of the City: Civilization and Contents

Last updated on: January 24, 2017 at 12:43 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

The Wind of the City: Civilization and Contents 2017-01-24T12:43:49-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

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The wind is blowing hard in New York City.

Compared to Houston it is a cold wind, the air is thin here.

In Sugar Land, Texas, the heavy air moans by the window when it blows, but here it is shrieking. The difference makes me just a bit nervous, but also awake.

I am glad to be inside, but perhaps I shall go outside. I had forgotten that New York City is old yet still growing. I have heard creaks in old buildings from a strong wind and know the sounds, but this is an old building made new, strong, and modern. The wind blows with no chance of winning except on the edges.

It can huff and puff, but not blow this City down. Bad men already tried and failed.

Looking down from the eighth floor here people keep doing things. What things? Who knows?

They look like interesting, important, and even romantic things!

It is busy and maybe some days frantic, but on a Sunday night not so much. There is nature blowing against the City, but the City goes on building. I would not have guessed that construction would be happening now, but it sounds like it.

None of this will lead to an O. Henry story or a Sherlock Holmes in New York City adventure, but it feels like the kind of night that inspired both authors, making me wish I had their imaginations. All of which leads me to one simple point: there is good to being alive just now. Ancient ruins are magnificent, but just this street here in New York City, if it is ever a ruin visited by tour groups from a future civilization, will make all the past look small. There is much here that is magnificent.

I can’t afford a fancy place, but there is Edwardian style mixed with modern convenience. I have a television, but also a claw foot tub. There is hot water, a flush toilet, and wireless.

The wind keeps howling and there is (nearby!) a magnificent Central Park.

Sometimes I think we misunderstand some of the Christian message, as if God hated His creation, but even when we do not make this mistake, our critics almost always do. They think we are down on humanity, especially ourselves, nature, and civilization. And so, in a way, we are.

We have to be, but not because we despise humankind, ourselves, nature, and civilization. To the contrary, Christianity teaches us that all people are in God’s image, are fascinating and meant to live eternally. We know that this is our Father’s world and helped make science possible, because we love studying that world. As for civilization, God is a creator and so as His children we create. Any good Father loves what His children make.

It is all glorious! We are like the couple on their honeymoon who must caution themselves that, of course, they have years to go. Things are great, but problems will come. Problems may even have come, even though just tonight, in a romantic moment, they seem far away. We are full of love for everything, because God fills us with that love.

Yet that is the problem. We see all the good of is, but we also cannot help thinking what should be. A happy marriage will contain prudence: she is not after all perfect. Not just yet any way and it is never going to be my job (!) to perfect her! She is “only” human, after all.

My room may be simple, but there are homeless people out tonight. The wind blows, but in a mixed up natural order in some places it may cause harm and even death. Civilization is not just art museums, but also bombs.

We are fallen, but from a height so great that where we fell to is still amazing.

The deepest pit is still in God’s cosmos and so is still good as far as pits go.

We love God, so we love all people, even our enemies, but just saying this means we must recognize that we have enemies.

The more glorious things are, the more the marring, the lack of what should be, irks us.

Christians do not ignore the fundamental tension of life: things might be good, but not for all, in every way, all the time.

This is so sad, we might despair, just as the world, civilization, and people are so awesome at times that we might drift into dreams of joy.

Instead, we are happy, but not without restraint. We are in love, but not without prudence. We are thankful, but not totally content. Christians want more while marveling at what is.

Just now the wind has died down and the human noises are louder. I may go out, or may not, but what I will see will be some mix of glory and shame. From my window I can see what God came to save and some of what He is saving it to be.

I love this City, this night, my God.

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