A Different World View

   As Christians we are called to a different world view.  One that looks past the simplistic way society sometimes looks at things.  A view that tries to incorporate the will of God.

  We are constantly searching for truth, but truth can be obscured by many things; our biases, sin, or the efforts of some to intentionally mislead.  We need to rethink the way we look at things to realize certain truths about life and try to see them through the eyes of God.  These truths can help us in our earthly life and certainly in our spiritual life.  If we can get beyond societal distortions and sinfulness we can begin to find the truths we seek. 

Society many times takes a simplistic view of things.  They see hunger simply as the absence of food; eat and there is no hunger.  We need to understand that hunger requires our action; feed the hungry as well as ourselves.  Thirst is seen simply as the absence of water.  But we need to help provide safe water to those who need it.  Turn on a light and darkness goes away; but we know that we are to be the light of God shattering the darkness of sin in the way we live our life.  Society sees most things selfishly.  We need see them through faith and the love of God. 

   Spirituality is looked at in the same skewed way by society, but we need to find the underlying truth and hope our spirituality should bring to us.  Anger isn’t just an emotional response to something we don’t like; it is the absence of forgiveness.  Our anger harms us more than those with whom we are angry.  We can defeat anger by forgiveness of those who harm us.  Hate is not just a feeling toward someone, it is the absence of the love of God.  With His love we can overcome hate.  Evil is not of itself, it is the absence of good.  If we look to God and seek the good in life we can help lessen the evil in our world.  Peace is so much more than just the absence of war.  It is a faithful effort by all to get along and try to understand the needs and values of others.

By prayer and honest effort we can begin to apply the values of God to our lives and the problems facing us in society.  Perhaps we can even begin to make the world a better reflection of the kingdom of God. 

There is one more very important truth that we need to take into our hearts and contemplate.  Without understanding this truth our search for eternal life cannot succeed: 

Hell is the absence of God.  If we don’t find Him and follow Him in this life we can never know Him in the next.