Change comes, but slowly
Soaring music, fabulous staging, amazing voices. All these combined last evening for a wonderful celebration of life in the classic musical South Pacific. Written in 1949, just after the end of World War II, the storyline captures the lives of soldiers, nurses, and civilians caught in the larger drama of a world war in the South Pacific and the smaller drama of their love and lives.
Soaring music, fabulous staging, amazing voices. All these combined last evening for a wonderful celebration of life in the classic musical South Pacific. Written in 1949, just after the end of World War II, the storyline captures the lives of soldiers, nurses, and civilians caught in the larger drama of a world war in the South Pacific and the smaller drama of their love and lives.
Even in the midst of war, newly discovered love leads to the beautiful song “Some Enchanted Evening.” Yet, even while enjoying a magnificent performance, I was inwardly struck by the author’s foresight and accurate observations about prejudice so many years ago. That attitude was portrayed most clearly in the stirring music of “You have to be carefully taught.” Challenging prejudice in 1949 was ground breaking, yet thankfully now over 60 years later it seems far less dramatic. Change does come though change comes slowly. The changed view of prejudice and race today more clearly reflect God’s heart toward all people created in His image. Valuing the dignity and worth of all persons, regardless of race or ethnicity is a much higher value in today’s world.
However, this causes me to ponder what common, present day attitudes of 2010 will be challenged over the next sixty years. Are these present “prejudices” consistent with God’s heart? If we were able to “flash forward” to 2070 and experience that reality what attitudes will have changed. Will the resulting culture be more or less reflective of God’s heart? (Philippians 2) It is difficult to perceive and understand our own inherent prejudices. Where might present day art expose those biases if we were willing to see?
Gwynne Johnson
Gwynne Johnson currently serves on the Board of Entrust, Inc., an international education and training mission where she authored the Entrust curriculum, Developing a Discerning Heart. She recently served as Co-Chair of the training project, Christian Women in Partnership, Russia and as Senior Director of Women's Ministry at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. Gwynne has a M.A. in Biblical Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. She currently lives in Huntsville, Texas with her husband of 58 years, Don. She works part-time in her daughter and granddaughter's bakery "The Best Box Ever," where she gets paid in cookies.
