How about we turn off the news, open our Bibles, and get busy doing good?

I have never liked to watch or keep up with the news.  Of course, that causes me to be ignorant on a number of current topics, but it creates a much happier, more peaceful state of mind.  If I watch, or read, the news, I just get all agitated and upset.  Why put myself through that, when (for the most part) there is nothing that I can do to change whatever it is that I’m reading about?

Over the last few weeks and months, it is worse than ever.  It is impossible to avoid the news.  Besides popping up on my internet homepage every time I log on, everyone on facebook is weighing in on one side or the other of current events.  I’m sure the media moguls are deliriously happy, because they are the ones who have created and/or fed the frenzy.

I’m not saying that the issues are unimportant.  Racism, hatred, bigotry, murder, assault, homosexuality, and marriage are serious subjects…and need to be dealt with in a proper manner.  However, the media isn’t interested in that.  They just want to fan the flames of unrest and dissention!  As much as I try to be optimistic, I fear for our nation because of this current frenzy.

Every once in a great while, a GOOD article will pop up.  One that looks logically at what is happening in our society and tries to maintain some balance and perspective.  They are far too few and not publicized enough to make much of a difference.  After all, ranting about the issues makes for much better press.  Who cares if the facts aren’t straight?

What I would love to see are people who ignore the frenzy.  People who go about their everyday lives, doing the best they can, and helping others along the way.  If more would focus on doing that, then our nation could heal.  But aside from what is best for our nation, it would definitely help our lives and that of others around us to be better.  If enough people focused on being positive and helpful in their communities, then it WOULD make a difference on a national level.

What should we be doing?  As with problems, the answers are found in God’s word.

·        Fear God.  Proverbs 16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. 

Hebrews 12:28-29  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:  For our God is a consuming fire.

·        Love God and trust in Him.  Psalms 145:20  The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

·        Obey God.  Proverbs 29:18  Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

 1 John 2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

·        Love each other.  Proverbs 10:12  Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
1 Thessalonians 3:12  And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

·        Help others, whenever and however you can.  1 John 3:17  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

I know this is very simplistic.  There are so many details that are important that I haven’t discussed.  However, if we truly follow each of these, I think we’ll be ok.  Because, after all, if we really love and fear and obey God, we will search to understand Him and what He wants from us…and then DO it!  And if we sincerely love and help one another, then we will share God’s love with them and be the example that we are meant to be.  After all, Jesus summed it all up in this one statement:  Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

So let’s quit feeding the frenzy and get busy doing good.

1 Timothy 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: