Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Is it really Good News?

"Our nation is going downhill"
"We've lost our way"
"Lord help us"
"America is in crisis" 

Insert your own favorite line.  I'm not going to pretend that I haven't had those thoughts.  But how does saying derogatory things about our nation or world in public help us in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ?  Just because we don't agree with something, doesn't mean we have to shout it from the Mountain Tops!  Publicly blasting our someone who isn't a follower of Jesus comes across as mean spirited.  Claiming that we are being persecuted is going to fall on deaf ears. Why do some Christians continually look for the next opportunity to be offended?

This is why I love the Apostle Paul.  He was shipwrecked, left for dead and put in jail but he was constantly giving thanks to God.  He was trashed by people outside of the Christian faith and from fellow believers.  Yet, Paul always looked at things from a positive perspective.  Whenever I read Paul's letters I get a heavy dose of conviction.  What right do I have to be offended by someone who doesn't claim to have a relationship with Jesus?  Why should we expect people outside the church to have the same convictions that we have?

Do circumstances and events in the world point to things getting worse? Yes.  But what time in History didn't?  When I read or talk to people who were around during World War II, that was a time of uncertainty.  I remember how scary things were during the Cold War.  If we believe that complaining or voting certain ways are going to change our world we are greatly mistaken.  The only thing that will change our society at any time in History is to turn to God. But putting "Turn or Burn" signs or anything like that on our church billboards will only turn people away.

I know that when things are rough for me I enjoy hearing good news.  I think the same is true for people who are struggling in their lives.  If things are going well, people don't think they need God.  But when things are tense or their world is falling apart, people want to hear good news.  What better news can we share than the truth that Jesus died for their sins? So is the "NEWS" we are spreading "GOOD" or are we turning people away?

5 comments:

  1. Great challenge you have put before all who read your blog. Good thoughts to ponder.

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  2. I tire of all the doom and gloom we hear. I tune out those who constantly want to talk about the way things were vs how things are and will get. We have GOOD NEWS. Share it!

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  3. We are taught to ten out talk radio & news before we visit our employees.

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  4. No, things are not getting worse; they only appear to because of saturation news coverage, but the fact is that we live like kings, compared to our ancestors of only 100 years ago. The good times are here and now. Be thankful you didn't live through the Black Death, the Ice Age, the 100 Years' War, the Rape of Nanjing, et al. The people who did were justified in believing that they were living in the worst of times. Now, I am no Pollyanna, but I do believe that Westerners need a good reality check to remind them to count their many blessings when they're tempted to complain about modern times.

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