Hennie Symington

But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. Mark 12:42

Recently I came upon a book titled This I believe, in which eighty world renowned figures write about their belief in the inherent goodness of man, and how they have experienced it. Each of us have crossed paths with people who have so much goodness in them, and that radiate such love for other in society, that we cannot but believe in the inherent goodness of mankind.

Some examples from the book.

I salute people like Bill Gates who with his wife, have made an enormous difference in Southern Africa through the Charity they started there. When asked why, Bill summarised his involvement as follows: “I believe that my wealth drives me to plough it back into society. And as a father, I believe that the death of a child somewhere in Africa is as painful as the death of a child in any other place on earth. I believe in faith as a dynamic power which renews our willpower and ignites our creativity. True faith embraces your faith in the unlimited goodness and is all-seeing wisdom which guides us through sea of life.”

I will never cease to admire people such as Mother Teresa, who under in dire circumstances in India, gave her all to offer the starving children in the streets of Calcutta a better life. What about the blind, deaf and dumb Helen Keller, who described her faith as follows: “I believe that faith is a dynamic force which renews our will and awakens our creativity. True faith embraces your faith in unlimited goodness and an all-seeing wisdom guiding us through the sea of life.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us when we play down our strength, while reading in your Word: "With your help, I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall." Amen