Today I've been thinking quite a lot about yesterday's tuition fees debacle - both the policy itself and the riots. I've realised I feel quite strongly about the issue of further and higher education, and maybe I'll share some of my thoughts another day. But I've also realised that there's an Advent theme running through the events of yesterday.
I think it's on days like yesterday that we see the utter inadequacy of human systems of government, and even our "enlightened" commitment to the rights of the individual seem at best naive and at worst dangerous. So when I read in Isaiah of the birth of a child who will govern with wisdom and whose reign will establish justice and righteousness, I start to feel a little more hopeful.
But we live in the "now and not yet". We know what the world should be like whilst being acutely aware that the reality is very different. Maybe in this inbetween time we should be taking a good look at ourselves and choosing to focus not on our human rights - to protest, to an education, to participate in the political system - but on our spiritual responsibilities - to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.
Isaiah 9:2-7
Micah 6:8
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