What Next?

Photo by: koko-tewan

A woman films her abortion, calling it a wonderful experience, and the video goes viral.

Eurovision Song Contest picks “the bearded lady” as its winner. (The “lady” is really a man named Tom in drag, in case you care to know.)

The world is outraged—about a month too late—when almost three hundred Nigerian girls are kidnapped, with more kidnappings of girls every few days.

In South Sudan, well over ten thousand people are killed, a million displaced, and the conflict makes very few headlines. (That’s three September elevens since December!)

The first openly gay American football player is picked for a top team, and he embraces his partner, both crying, on television.

A referendum is held in eastern Ukraine. Men are arrested with ballot boxes full of already marked ballots, and international news ignores this, too, although it calls the results “suspicious” and “illegal.”

This was last week’s news.

It leaves me shaking my head and wondering what’s next? I used to think I couldn’t be surprised any more, but I am—every week—every . . . single . . . week.

Where’s this world headed?

It’s not a pretty picture. The Bible says, And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them (Romans 1:28-32).

This passage sounds like today’s newspapers.

So, what should our perspective be? When everything around us is going contrary to God’s moral standards: perversions, wickedness, violence, and sins of every description; when popular culture glorifies the very worst in our society, what can a Christian do?

Want some good news?

Ye are the light of the world.

A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

(Matthew 5:14)

If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior from sin, you are the light of the world. God is shining through you. He’s using your life as a light—in contrast to the darkness.

Let it shine!

Some suggestions:

• Be consistent in your personal walk with the Lord. Read the Bible and constantly communicate with God in prayer. Your personal relationship with God will make you glow.
• Keep a clean slate. Keep all sin confessed and forsaken. Strive each day to be more like Christ.
• Be faithful in church attendance. Your being in church encourages you in your spiritual life, others in theirs, and even your pastor!
• Be open about your faith. God will open doors for you to share Jesus with others. Pray for them, and when you see an open door, take advantage. Give a gospel tract, tell someone why you believe, invite a friend to church.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:

for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;

to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

(Romans 1:16)

Bad world? Yes. But, take heart: Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Let your light shine! 

Tell someone about Jesus today.

For God so loved the world, that he gave
 his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

For God sent not his Son into the world 
to condemn the world;

but that the world through Him might be saved.

(John 3:16-17)