Graffiti joy

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my whole being shall exult in my God…” (Isaiah 61:10a)

Even though I have a journalism degree, I have a pretty minimal resume
of actual hard-core news gathering. One of the few times I was on the
scene of a big story, however, is an experience I’ll never forget. It
happened by accident.

I was the editor of my fraternity’s national magazine and had planned a
trip to Los Angeles to interview a couple of notable alumni. The day I
was to fly to LA,

the Rodney King verdict was
announced, which was the spark that ignited pent-up frustration of
racism in that city and led to several days of rioting. Since I was
going to be there anyway, I thought it would be an interesting story to
see how our fraternity’s chapter at the University of Southern
California responded since USC was so close to much of the rioting.

As I pulled up to a burned-out strip mall, two things have stayed with
me. The first was the sight of a spray-painted message on one of the
businesses. The splotchy, defiantly red sentence was clear: We will
rebuild. The second was a very expensive sports car that drove up and
parked across the street from me. Two laughing young women got out, took
some pictures, and zoomed away.

It’s impossible not to feel pretty bleak these days with stories of
terrorism, brutality and environmental degradation constantly present on
our own personal news feeds. I wondered yesterday morning–is it
possible to have any joy in this world? Are we allowed? I think it is
and we are.

I hope we can choose spray paint over sports cars, however. In the midst
of charred remains, we can grab a can and in brought red letters
signify that we will rebuild. That we still believe. that we still have
hope. That kind of joy–instead of one that is callous to the pain and
oppression of others–is soaked with the Holy Spirit and yearns to be
received, and then generously shared with those who are also looking for
spray cans and those who drive sports cars.