The weapons of our warfare

I'm eagerly looking forward to my trip to Cape Town next week (although I also have a nagging feeling that I should be doing more to get ready!). I guess this has made me especially attentive to all things South African, which may explain why I was drawn to a piece in The Times last Saturday. Although it cropped up in the World News section, it was more of an article really, written in anticipation of this Thursday's 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandela's release from prison.

You can read the full article here:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article7017136.ece 

But what struck me was the description of Desmond Tutu, acting and speaking decisively to calm a highly volatile situation - a confrontation which could have ended up in great bloodshed was instead resolved peacefully and calmly. This was a kingdom moment, not because it happened in a church but simply because it happened.

And this was not an isolated incident. We perhaps think of Desmond Tutu as a leader of the black community in South Africa, at the forefront of the campaign for freedom and rights. While that's true, it seems that above all (like Martin Luther King before him), Tutu was committed to the kingdom of God. His vision was (and is) of a society where there is equality, based on mutual respect and tolerance. He understands that violence will never ultimately be defeated by yet more violence, and that evil is only overcome by good. His work with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the aftermath of apartheid demonstrates his commitment to this cause. For me, he is a truly inspirational figure.