For the last week I’ve spent time sitting in front of my TV watching the world fall apart. The list of places in turmoil just seems to get longer and longer every day: Egypt, Libya, Iran, Morocco, Bahrain, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana. It’s kind of scary. If I were an “end times” kind of theologian I would probably be busy right now writing this into my latest end of the world theory.
The problems I have with all the things I see and hear are multiple and in categories.
Some of the problems are my own.
I have a tendency to be overly analytical. You could say that I’m a big picture sort of guy. I try to see all the sides. I want to look at a problem (or an opportunity) from all angles. Part of me believes that if I we lay out all of the facts that everyone will be convinced by the obvious, make the right choices and decide to get along. I sympathize with peoples’ fears and my personality wants everyone to be happy but the world we live in doesn’t operate with those same expectations. Sometimes I am amazed with my own naïveté. My heart aches. These are uncomfortable times.
Some of the problems I see are just splashed across the screen.
I see a lot hate and anger and fear. I hear all kinds of contradictory information and when different people offer differing “facts” on the same subject there’s a pretty good chance that someone is lying. I want to believe that people are honest but what I see and hear doesn’t leave me that option. I see a lot of “the end justifies the means” behavior, which has never been my favorite philosophical model. There is a lot of hopelessness going around. These are indeed uncomfortable times.
So, what can I do? How do I help to change a world that is out of control? What should I do?
The answers (in order) are, “Nothing,” “I don’t” and “Proclaim Jesus!”
I have found myself up against this wall more times than I can count. The world is not always a friendly place, people don’t always play fair and I can’t do anything to change that. One of the reasons I am in the business I am in is because Jesus changes hearts and people need their hearts changed. It’s all right there on the screen of my TV: people needing Jesus. Jesus has a lot of work to do and so do I.
You have an opportunity, John, that the rest of us don't have. You are trusted and respected, and have a forum to communicate. If I had that opportunity, I would encourage the masses to educate themselves, and make their decisions based on their OWN belief system and not the belief system perpetuated by the right or left pundits. I would preach to return to simpler times, live within your means, and treasure those things in life most important, like friends, family, and happiness. Of course, that's just me. Take care my friend. Bob
ReplyDeleteAs always John you have laid out these strange times in this world and I too have struggled with this and I know I have been over analyzing. Thank you for offering the three steps of what can I do? I will follow your suggestions. God Bless you and your family and I look forward to the day I can shake your hand again my friend.
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