Last night we were watching a news program. Without getting into the content, it is enough to say that the focus was on issues which were generally not discussed in public when I was a child. At one point my daughter asked the question, "What kind of world do we live in?"
As we begin 2011 I think that is a great question. I believe the answer to that question is important. I also think we must ask, "What kind of world are we called to make?" As we look at the way things are we come up with theories. I believe we live in a world where God has withdrawn to some extent. I believe he has made us responsible and we are called to take that duty serioiusly. There are many things out of our control (most things) individually, but the sum total of individual choices and actions do have a profound impact.
The values which we espouse have consequences. The choices we make create new realities. Those who live fifty years from now will live in the world which we have helped create.
What kind of world do we live in? A world for which we are responsible. God judges us. We are under His scrutiny. If things are happening which we think are bad or wrong, we are accountable for changing them. What kind of world are we supposed to live in? That is what we need to (co-)create with God's plan and His Spirit in mind.
We live in desensitized world in which self-love is condemned and pride in personal workmanship and success is deemed narcissistic.
ReplyDeleteSelf love is Jesus' gift to all of us, yet technology, texting, etc. serve as a distraction of the true reflection of who we really are as a unique child of God.
The equation is simple;
Lack of self (God) love -> personal inability to love others -> inability to truly love God in the blessed way He designed.
Self love is not selfishness; to the contrary, one who does NOT love themselves is selfish and is not abiding by Christ's words that through Him "we are the light of the world."
Self love is also genuine humility. We often falsely portray psuedo humility in fear that others (who also may not know self love)will reject us.
The world we live in today is, as in all documented times, full of self-loathing, empty souls who need our prayers. We must also out of duty to our Lord strive to love ourselves as a unique and blessed child of God daily so that our "light" will shine and hopefully change the world in which we live for the better.
God Bless