Go light your world

Much of the news is anything but encouraging. There is a lot of political tension.

The Republicans claim the Democrats are taking the country off the political rails to the left, and the Democrats say the Republicans are taking America off a right-wing cliff.

Anyone watching the recent presidential debate could easily see that President Trump and Vice President Biden are not merely proposing different policies, the two seem to despise one another.

On a different front, Hurricane Delta has currently taken four lives and left hundreds of thousands without power.

We are approaching eight million cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. and 215,000 deaths.

This year, California wildfires have killed 30 and destroyed more than 7,000 buildings.

It is easy to conclude that nothing positive is happening in our world. However, wonderful things are taking place all the time.

For instance, I recently read in Dr. Jim Denison’s Daily Article about Lane Unhjem, a farmer near Crosby, North Dakota, who had his combine catch on fire. As he fought to save his farm equipment, Unhjem went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to the hospital.

At the very moment he desperately needed to harvest his crops, he was confined to bed.

Sixty local farmers, together with 11 combines, 11 semitrucks with trailers, and many tractors with grain carts showed up to help their neighbor. Within seven hours, they harvested approximately 50,000 bushels of grain. Their wives made enough meals that the Unhjem’s freezer was stocked for an entire month.

One friend explained, “We have a long history of helping people in our community when they are faced with tragedy or hardship. We strongly believe in faith, family and the Golden Rule.” 

In an earlier Denison column, I read about Cristina Muneton, a 58-year-old ovarian cancer patient, who was tempted to give up as she fought her life-threatening disease.

To encourage her, family and friends organized a parade in her honor in their hometown of Jacksonville, Florida.

It is easy to look at the stories of tragedy and depravity that dominate the news and conclude we cannot make a difference.

But, the truth is that God created us to do so much more.

The Apostle Paul put it like this, “ … we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works … ” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)

God made us to do so much more than give up and check out. He created us to make a difference!

Encourage a hurting neighbor, babysit for a single parent, take a meal to a sick friend, help an immigrant or a homeless person or ... well, the possibilities are endless.

As an old Chinese proverb says, “It’s better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

With God’s help, do your part to help light this dark world!

Tim Richards grew up in Fairdealing and previously served as associate pastor of Pilgrim’s Rest Church there. He currently serves as a pastor on the staff of Concord Church in South County St. Louis.