I'm thinking this morning about how every act of selfishness and correspondingly every act of kindness is like a pebble, cascading down the slope of time so that a collection becomes a rain and a large group becomes an avalanche until a person is buried under the effect.
There are no real superhumans that can stop bullets or jump in front of speeding cars and even the great power of government fails to legislate proper behavior in society.
However, this avalanche when properly applied results in adjusted behavior as people are carried along or buried under. Therefore, we could actually stop a bullet or perhaps an out of control car by doing acts of kindness now.
We could take this thought one step further by considering how our selfish nature, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life lead us to be focused on collecting and dreaming of our own goals rather than considering how loneliness for example leads a Person to desperation.
Just as with financial principles we would do well to address these issues before they mount up to that avalanche of selfish needs pursued prompts an action by someone that is harmful. In this sense it is logical to assume that almost every evil action could have been prevented with an avalanche of small good deeds conducted, initiated, and/orchestrated before the evil act.
In other words, when a person says I've earned it. And ignores the needs of the less fortunate while giving in to some foolish desire for another quick fix feeling of health like consuming convenience, they have written a check against tomorrow resulting in a tomorrow that maybe leads to even more evil.
And so we moan that things aren't right in the world and it's true. We complain that the problems of today are too big to handle today and it's true. But it's true because they were the problems of tomorrow when today was yesterday and humankind failed to address them or even exacerbated therm by pandering to their own desires.
Bottom line: we should be working today to make a difference for tomorrow not just today. Realized that when we defeat evil even in the form of poverty and/or loneliness, we remove pebbles of destruction and put into motion pebbles of creation so that tomorrow can be a better day.
And Jesus for the joy that was set before endured the cross. He didn't fight against it, grasp for a"better" end or cannibalize those around him. He knew that tomorrow would be better if he denied himself and accepted the cup of wrath himself. He stood fully under the avalanche of evil intention and it killed him but he do not stay dead thereby overcoming evil and death to the point that he secured a great future for all of us at some point. We can see how following that example of denying ourselves on a daily basis could result in a better future for all those we touch. You can make a difference and it can be in the things you often overlook as each is a pebble. Rise up Christian. Rise up. Jesus has made you a visitor in this land to fight against evil and reconcile all those who are willing to be reconciled to God.
Our ultimate future in Christ is certain if we have accepted him. Society's future is heavily affected by present day choices. Change the small things to overcome great big future evils that when the time comes people will feel powerless against. Just being willing to see this possibility should encourage us all to take a stand against evil today.
Suffer a little. Give more than you think you can. Step up for the hurting. Encourage the downtrodden. Even if you don't see it now, know that you are securing a better future.
Pastor Dan Stevenson
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID
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