Put on your Happy Face.

Wall Street tumbles. Piracy on the high seas half a world away.  Fires ravage the West Coast. Pessimisim abounds. Love grows cold.

And the beat goes on.

Do you sometimes find it hard to put on your “happy face” in the midst of such worldly woes? You can admit it, it’s okay. “My name is Steve, and I sometimes feel like the world is going to hell in a hand basket.”  See, I feel better already.

Seriously, I’ve never been a dooms day prophet. First, the Bible teaches against that way of thinking. (Who of you by worrying can add another minute to his life?) Secondly, it serves no useful purpose. Why worry about the dismal demise of my 401-K when I’m not even guaranteed the breath of life tomorrow?

But these times are ripe for the end-of-timers. As if the wars and rumors of wars weren’t enough, throw in the election of a controversial figure as President, and there you go. I know the radio talk show kings thrive on preaching President-elect Obama leading America off the cliff, but I can only stomach so much.  This morning one of the talk show kingpins was drawing parallels between the Obama presidency and the Jim Jones “drink the Kool Aide” cult of 30 years ago.  Yes, we’re all mindless sheep about to be led to slaughter by the slick talking devil from the Land of Lincoln.

People around the world have been predicting its demise since, well since there were people. It tends to fire up a bit around milestones like the turn of a century, the collapse of a stock market or the terrorist bombing of a very visible target.

Remember what happened after 9-11? Certainly there was a burst of patriotism, this comforting sense of Americans coming together for the common good.  That’s the way we are, right?  Church attendance spiked dramatically in the wake of September 11th.  And then?  You guessed it.  Once the passage of time had sufficiently diminished the threat or fear level, those pew sitters returned to the more familiar routines of golfing or fishing or sleeping in or whatever one does on a Sunday morn.

That time right after 9-11 was an opportune time for Christian witness. For sharing the Word. For explaining Jesus. For increased fellowship.

My friends, (I sound like John McCain) I believe there’s no better time than now to take advantage of that same opportunity.

How many times have you heard a friend or co worker or acquaintance remark about the stock market free fall.  “Now I’ll probably never get to retire”. “I really worry about what will happen once Obama takes office”.  “How can our economy survive if we keep bailing out everyone?”.

These laments are real. But I believe they also represent true opportunities for witness and faithfulness.  What better time to speak of your eternal assurance than when someone is questioning how long the world can survive?  Even for the timid witness, such conversations are opening the door.  “I don’t let myself worry much about my stock market investments, because that’s not the thing that’s really important in my life”.  Get the picture?  This is straight forward witnessing and sharing the love of Christ to people who are often desperate to hear it.

Remember the old children’s song, “This Little Light of Mine”.  What does it instruct?  I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.  In these uncertain times that can seem so dark and pessimistic and in need of love, there’s no better time to shine the light of Christ. Don’t keep the light to yourself.  Light someone else’s lamp so they can do the same.

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Matthew 24:12-13

I do sense that love may be growing cold.  Worry, pessimisim, uncertainty.  All these can chip away at faithfulness and cause love to grow cold. Don’t let it happen to you and your faith! Christ is calling on us to share His love and assurance.  I don’t know if current events are a foreshadowing of the end, but I do know that this world needs the saving love of Jesus now more than ever.

I just finished reading a wonderful book called “The Shack” that my friend Greg Arnold recommended. Yes, there are some within the Christian community who are railing against it. They say it’s not sound theology. It gives a warped view of salvation. It gives an unflattering view of God.  Whatever. Read the book and decide for yourself.  It is, after all, a work of fiction and not another book of the Bible to tack on behind Revelation.

One of the many things I liked about the book was the emphasis on “relationships”.  Our relationship with God and our relationships with each other. That’s how love accomplishes its amazing work. Relationships.

Remember the greatest commandment?

Condensed version:  Love God.  Love others.

Let’s renew our commitment to do just that.

A hurting, worrying world is depending on it.

- STEVE

About

Welcome, and thanks for dragging yourself over to Live|Bold! My name is Greg Arnold and I am pumped to see you here. This interactive online community is here to point every man toward the cross. Whether you have been a follower of Christ for ages, or you are just stumbling into this strange new world of faith, we have something of value to offer you. This online e-zine is a cross between a blog, a social network, a resource center, and a pulpit. My hope is to inspire you to live your faith on the outside and be a real man for God. We need you in the fight.