Finding God in all things

Downtown Jozi is a busy place full of different informal traders on the side of the pavement. Sometimes they are in their stalls, preparing to display clothes and shoes for sale, or calling on people on their way to work to stop and make a purchase. Others are selling fruit or burnt mealies (corn). Another is making amagwinya (vetkoeks) served with a choice of deep-fried fish, cheese, mango achaar or cold meats. 

Mothers, with their small children, walk to a school in one of the tall buildings. Homeless people are packing up their ‘beds’ because it is morning. Men and women are making their way to work. Taxis are hooting as they look for people to take to work and cause mayhem in the traffic. Generators will be running during load shedding in the few shops that have them, making a lot of noise because the shops are so close to all that’s happening. In the background, the people moving around to different destinations will hold on to their possessions tightly to avoid being robbed. Finally, let us not forget the two or three who preach the gospel and call for people to repent and work at building the kingdom of God.

One of the many unwritten rules of the CBD is that you do not carry your backpack as intended on your back but rather on your front so you have a full view of it. Other rules include: never asking for directions from just anyone, you walk like you know exactly where you are going; hiding your valuables, especially cell phones and jewellery; and one of the most popular ones is never stop for anything; you only stop when you have reached your destination, it’s minding your own business and trying to be unnoticed, impossible I know.

Why am I sharing this? I see this every day in my morning and afternoon commute. It looks like a mess, but so much is happening in it. I see love displayed in deeds; people making ends meet for their families, young people trying to better their lives through education, and the presence of law enforcement officers.

I often wait for favourable conditions to be content or to act or show up in my life and the world, and maybe you are a little like me, especially in the times we are experiencing. Our country might look like a big mess because of all the challenges and corruption that is taking place. I often sit in the taxi, waiting for it to fill up and ask myself: how is God co-creating with me, and what am I not noticing? Seeing what goes on in downtown Jozi reminds me that all life is sacred and must be protected. It encourages me to stay hopeful about a better tomorrow and invites me to find God in all things and see all things new with Christ.