Earthquakes, Hurricanes, and Bombs, Oh My!

So the last 3 weeks have certainly seen their fair share of excitement here in DC.  The first week I was back, I was welcomed home with my first ever earthquake experience (also, it happened to be the biggest quake DC has seen in almost 100 years...) and a hurricane.  Then, 2 weeks later, the 10th anniversary of 9/11 sent everyone into a hysterical tizzy about potential threats against the city.

One common thread seems to be that of over-reaction.  I've noticed that this city is on edge, always ready to jump to the conclusion that someone is bombing, attacking, or otherwise creating general chaos and mayhem here in the capitol city.  The earthquake - while definitely a shaking experience (ha! I'm so clever...) - was met with evacuated buildings in DC, New York, and Boston, and the remainder of the work day being called off for most Federal employees (yes, it was a big earthquake.  But when the only thing that happens is 3 spires fall off the top of the cathedral, it doesn't warrant an extra week of vacation for all feds...). 

Irene, with her potentially disastrous threat only 4 days later, had the city out buying up every bottle of water and every bit of food with long shelf life that existed in district limits (and beyond).  I was told to expect power outages for upwards of 48 hours, to prepare an evacuation bag in case we had to evacuate the entire campus (where on earth they would have put us, I have no idea - I sit on quite possible THE highest spot in the entire DC limits... if AU is flooded, this city is screwed, bigtime), and to get ready to bunker down and see the terror of the heavens open up upon us. 

With 9/11, the city news had near-constant reports on the "update" of a "credible but unconfirmed" terrorist threat against DC (if that's not vague enough for you, you should go to work for the government).  Many people (especially people, ironically, not directly in the DC area) were concerned, and we were told to stay home, to stay off public transportation, to watch out for stolen Penske trucks, and to generally be on high alert. 

You'd think DC was about ready to fall to shambles, yes?  With an earthquakes and hurricanes that are "the wrath of God" trying to get the attention of the dirty politicians, with the bomb threats galore, with everything - it's mass chaos!!

Actually, here's what really happened:  An earthquake hit us.  It was a little bit weird... The building really does sway, for those of you who have never experienced one.  It shook for upwards of 45 seconds, but the first 25-30 seconds of that, it just felt like a really big rumble of thunder might, or like someone was rolling a really heavy cart down the hall... A few pictures fell down.  A couple of the topmost spires on the National Cathedral also came crashing down, but the spires were, in all fairness, solid pointy things of stone which were bound to break during something like that (See Physics 101 if you don't understand why).  Also, the Washington Monument suffered some damage, but the same general principle applies to Washington as it does to the Cathedral Spires.... It was weird and kind of exciting, but not particularly "scary" or "wrathful".  The hurricane forced me to spend a whole 24 hours inside, while it rained fairly hard and was pretty windy outside.  The power did not go out.  The city did not flood.   There was no rapture.  It was just very very humid for about 4 days... Then this past weekend, I went out.  On the Metro.  And the bus system.  Nobody was panicked.  There were no bombs that went off - not even thwarted attempts.  I had fun this weekend, hanging out with friends.  There was remembrance, but no chaos. 

While I recognize that each of these events could have potentially been significantly more disastrous, (And I am praising God that they were not, at least for me) and while I am not downplaying or ignoring the significance of this city, or of the events on 9/11, I'm noticing a problematic pattern here... People are driven by fear.  Fear of bombs, of flooding, of having to live 4 or 5 or 6 days without power, or without transportation.  Fear, even after the fact, of what "could have happened".  Fear of not having control, of being forced outside their comfort box. 

While I don't particularly like the idea of living a week or more without power, I think I could manage.  I am resourceful, and creative.  I am not the type of person to typically be paralyzed by fear.  But most importantly, my identity is not rooted in anything earthly.  My identity, and therefore my hope and my trust is in the Lord.  This city is driven by fear because this city holds its identity in power, in prestige, in comfort and in people.  This city, for obvious reasons, holds its identity in nationalism, in patriotism, and especially in works and doings and business.  This city is a city of go-getters who are all (as a broad generalization) lacking a genuine community.  These people simply circle one another, searching for some semblance of power, but most people in this city, if they were honest, would be alone.  Because of all of these things, and more, this city is prone to overreact.  Often, and substantially.  But perfect love drives out fear.

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. into the world that we might live through him.

We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." - 1 John 4:7-18

It's seems cliche.  But it's true.  And actually, it's not cliche, because it's so profound once you truly understand it.  It's only cliche when it's shallow.   And it truly makes living in this city an entirely different experience, when you can experience they joys and the resources and the wonderful fun, and the people without all the fear and the hype.  Because God is not about fear and hype.