So much is wrong with the world! Lord, show me something right!
This year I vowed to change my mindset and dwell on the positive. (Philippians 4:8) But February’s been a difficult month for me.
As winds of change sweep through our nation, I keep my eyes and ears open. I watch the news and wonder what will happen next. But in an effort to sift through information online, on the radio, and on TV, I have to trudge through a garbage heap of rotten, hate-filled opinions and gnarly, twisted bits of information.
And despite my resolve to maintain a positive attitude, I struggle. It’s difficult to scavenge through the rubble to find true justice and righteousness.
Show Me What’s Right
That’s why I prayed, “Lord, show me something right with the world.”
And God pointed out one of my students.
This student is a third grader. His family has experienced more than their share of challenges, yet he greets me with a hope-filled attitude and a love of learning.
One afternoon, as we discussed the definition of “wealth,” I told my student that “wealth” usually refers to money and riches. He observed that when we know Jesus, we’re rich.
Having Jesus, he told me, is more important than having a lot of money.
Theologian and pastor Alexander MacLaren (1826-1910) said the same thing:
“He that loves and trusts God possesses God.
He that possesses God has enough for earth.
He that possesses God has enough for heaven.
My third grader gets it. True satisfaction comes when we are rightly related to our Creator and rightly related to one another. That right relationship comes through faith.
The Faith of a Child
That’s why Jesus said we have to become like little children in order to inherit the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:3)
It’s not because little children are gullible; it’s because they have faith.
I’ve seen great examples of faith coming from little children.
When asked to name her best friend, one little girl didn’t think twice. “My best friend is Jesus.”
Then, right before Christmas, another one of my little students had a wiggly tooth. Every teacher she passed in the hallway heard about this little girl’s wiggly tooth.
“You’re going to be singing All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth,” I joked.
But the child corrected me.
“No, all I want for Christmas is Jesus. Christmas is about Jesus’ birthday,” she said.
What’s right with the world? The faith of children.
Sure, little children can be as selfish and obstinate as the rest of us. But they have no trouble understanding the concept of a loving heavenly Father.
Their view of the spiritual realm hasn’t yet been dirtied by the mudslinging cynicism of the world.
And their capacity for trust and optimism has not yet been tarnished by hurts and disappointments.
Also, their hearts have not become so haughty that they deny their need for God. They are humble.
Longing for Things to Be Right
We long for righteousness in the world. And we long for the world filled with goodness, fairness, and justice.
We also long for righteousness in ourselves. Behind the snarky comments on social media and news feeds, I observe a longing for vindication. I see people who want someone to agree that they are right. Behind the ugly words, I see individuals who long to assert their moral goodness.
“See?” they say. “I am a good person. See how I fight for the poor and battle to save the planet. See how I fight to preserve democracy.” Or they say, “I’m a crusader for morality. I fight to restore law and order. See how I take a stand for righteousness.”
But true righteousness doesn’t come from championing a cause or defeating a political opponent.
None of us is truly righteous. (Romans 3:12)
Only God is truly righteous.
The Bible tells us there is only one way for us as individuals to become just, or righteous.
“The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
True righteousness comes when we recognize our own unrighteousness, so we place our faith in Jesus, the only One who is able to save us.
What’s Right with the World
What’s right with the world? Children who still have the capacity for faith and optimism. Children who consider Jesus their best friend and greatest treasure.
What’s right with the world? Adults who, though sinners, lay aside their attempts at self-righteousness and place their faith in Jesus, the True and Just Savior of the world.
And what else is right with the world? We have the promise that one day Jesus will take our messy, messed-up world and make all things right.
Images courtesy of Aaron Burden, Jon Tyson, and Ben White on Unsplash.