The world would be a better place with more bridge builders

What is a Bridge Builder? Will Allen Dromgoole describes The Bridge Builder thusly: An old, man, going a lone highway, came, at the evening, cold and gray, to a chasm, vast, and deep, and wide, through which was flowing a sullen tide. The old man crossed in the twilight dim; the sullen stream had no fear for him; but he turned, when safe on the other side, and built a bridge to span the tide. “Old man” said a fellow pilgrim, near, “You are wasting strength with building here; Your journey will end with the ending day; You never again will pass this way; you’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide — Why build you this bridge at the evening tide?” The builder lifted his old gray head: “Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said. “There followeth after me today, a youth, whose feet must pass this way. This chasm that has been naught to me, to that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be. He, too, must cross in the twilight dim; Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.”

Bridge is something built over a river, railroad to serve as a road or path across. Builder is to put together materials; to construct; to bring into being; create; develop. Chasm is a deep crack in the Earth. Tide is the regular rise and fall of the ocean’s surface, about every 12 hours, caused by the attraction of the moon and sun.

How can we become Bridge Builders? Bridge Builders for righteousness. Bridge Builders for Justice. Bridge Builders for equality. Bridge Builders for building positive human and race relations. Bridge Builders in listening and coming to common ground. Bridge Builders in uplifting our respective communities.

A Bridge Builder sees the good in others, as well as himself. A Bridge Builder works to build strong communities, righteousness, justice, equality, positive human and race relations, forgiveness, love and common respect. Would this world be in a much better place, if there were more Bridge Builders? Good friend, in the path I have come, there followeth after me, a youth whose feet must pass this way, I am building this bridge for him. This is the legacy; we must pass to those who come after us. Become a Bridge Builder. God Bless

Editor’s note: The Rev. George R. Ames Jr. is pastor of the Wesley Chapel Church on the corner of Andrews and Wesley Church Road. He may be reached at home at (410) 221-1880.