Appreciate Life

From last week's Speaking of Faith on Public Radio.

Robi Damelin and Ali Abu Awwad, are part of a gathering network of Israelis and Palestinians who've lost loved ones in the crisis between their peoples. We speak this hour about their unlikely friendship, the difference between being right and being honest, and the human

Robi Damelin is an Israeli who lost her son to a Palestinian sniper. Ali Abu Awwad is a Palestinian who lost his brother to an Israeli soldier. But in their unlikely friendship and determination, these two defy headlines of despair. They are part of a citizen-led movement to turn pain into hope.

Toward the end of the program Ali Abu Awwad was reflecting on nations and war. He then had this amazing, mind-stopping comment:

And if people appreciate and if politicians appreciate the life as they appreciate the death, peace will be possible.

I was taken aback. Not to denigrate those who fight and lose their lives. Not in the least. But death seems to become the note of highest willingness. What about the possibilities of life? Abu Awwad is asking. What about how, when, and where we celebrate life and the many ways we can advance life instead of death? What about finding ways to work together for life instead of leading people into dying?

I am deeply moved, for example, by the Battle Hymn of the Republic. It is one of those truly inspiring songs, coming out of one of the great struggles for equality and life in our nation's history. But the end of the last verse has always begged to be changed. As written it says as Christ died for us, let us die to make others free. What if the verse were:

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

Wikipedia comments on that change which many have made. I, too, would ask us to consider the difference. It is about appreciating the ways we can affirm and encourage life.