THE WORLD AS IT WAS CREATED TO BE

“Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.”

Matthew 6: 9-15

I responded to a post today written by a friend, commemorating the Kent State killings on this day, in 1970.  The 60’s and 70’s were turbulent years for our country and landmark years for me.  My response to the post indicated that I have never felt so involved and committed to a cause than I did in those years.  I joined in with a lot of other people who truly wanted to make this world a better place to live than it presently was.  Peace and justice for all was the cry heard on every campus and every corner of the world, not through war or even political means; but by simply loving one another and working for the best we could be and do in every situation in life.  I think they are honorable goals.  Unfortunately it takes more that setting good goals.  It takes a change in the hearts of people and there is where the rubber meets the road.

The positive momentum of love, peace, and justice for all eventually succumbed to the powerful poison of fear, disillusionment, and greed.  Personal kingdoms were being made and the poor were not helped to be participants in the world but were thrown scraps and kept where others believed they should be kept; marginalized and invisible.  This went on for years unnoticed by those who were doing well in the world; not rich but not in poverty either; in the middle and doing ok.  But now that too has changed.

Humanity can do a lot of good things, but it cannot change hearts.  God alone can do that, and does.  In the early 70’s I experienced that first hand.  One of the evidences of a changed heart is a radical change in perspective.  For me that change in perspective caused me to see that human beings can never make the world a better place to live in because human beings are only human and are generally ruled by the flesh and the flesh watches out for the self first.

I would say the goal for me now is to do what I can to make this world more like the world it was created by God to be. Jesus’ passion and commitment was to the kingdom of God and his mission was to have that be on earth as it was in heaven.  That requires a death to self and an agape love for other people; all people.  That requires a change of venue for all of us; especially us that claim to follow Jesus and walk with God.  That is the goal I want to be involved in and committed to.