The sun beat down on a vast parched desert ground. The temperature had risen over 50 degrees Celsius and the spellbinding horizon shimmered in lakes of water on the ever distant horizon. The dryness of the land drew the water from our bodies in beads of sweat.
To stumble into a valley, an oasis, with a small trickling stream was, initially, a refreshing delight. Short lived! For it had been polluted by mining operations way upstream. The water trickled golden yellow with a strong smell of sulphur.
The destruction of this beautiful resource was so annoying. It was good for nothing now. The promise of hope and refreshment crushed by the foul odor.
Can you imagine how you would feel at this moment?
Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
Proverbs 25:26
In the same way, when we observe something that is not right, we must have the fortitude to stand up and make it known. To those who want to have their own way, to the detriment of others, must be faced by those who say, “enough is enough”.
We must come to the point of realising that if we don’t take a stand, who will? Are we happy to accept the consequences?
With that stream, the mine had to scrap the whole creek clean, replant and restore it… because some people stood up and said, ‘no more pollution — fix it!’.
What has annoyed you lately? What have you had enough of?