As the Rest of the World Sleeps . . .

Asia rises!  Those are the words I hear each morning when I turn on Channel NewsAsia to catch-up on the latest events impacting our lives in today's global society. And, its true -- since as most of you who are reading this blog (my friends and family back in the States) settle in for your night of rest, we here in Asia have already arisen from our beds (or for the more authentic Asians, from their mats) and have begun the next new day.

But that statement is much more than a comment on the difference in time zones between the Western Hemisphere and the East. In many real and practical ways, Asia is rising to greater and greater prominence on the world stage while a good deal of the rest of the world is sleeping, or at least slogging along. The ascendance of China and India to the status of leading nations in the global economy is as indisputable as it is inevitable in light of the current trends in both the West and the East. 

So what’s to be made of Asia’s rising? Are we to perceive it as a threat or is it the marker of movement for the 21st century? The sun never sat on Britannia in the 19th century, and near the close of the 20th, America claimed sole possession of dominance among world powers after the fall of the Soviet Union. But today, if we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that the status of the United States as foremost leader in the arenas of power – economic and military – has been and continues to decline, while the increasing emergence of Asian countries into prominent roles in global affairs is being recognized by every leader of the West.

The community of humanity will always consist of differing peoples, tribes, languages and nations. Rather than angling for positions of control, power and prestige, maybe it is time for us to learn to bow a bit more often and even a bit deeper. 

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble . . . . Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.    James 4:6-8