Changing the World 

   “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me before you.” (John 15:18) 

   I’m sometimes amazed that Christians think they can change the entire world.  Even the Son of God did not gain the acceptance of most of those He came to save, but we seem to think we can do better than Him.  The world has always hated those who believe in Christ and always will.

   However, that doesn’t mean we can’t change ourselves.  The changes we need to make in ourselves are exemplified in the life of Christ.  We must model the love and caring for all that He had.  We must live our life for God, rejecting the so-called joys and pleasures of this world.  Most of all we must practice what we preach.  The way we live our life is our most effective means of evangelization.

   If we do all those things, we can even create change in others.  The pagans said of the early Christians, “See how they love one another.”  Love is contagious, it can spread to the hearts of others and begin the process of change in their heart.  The love we show to others, even our enemies, can play a part in that change.

   We live in a sinful world, but so did Christ.  The few who believed in Him, through their actions and their words, spread His gospel to the entire world, bringing untold millions to believe.  When we live as they lived, devoted to sharing the truth and the love of God, we too can help spread His word in this wicked world and maybe, just maybe, bring some change to our little corner of the world.