The sky is falling?

The old story of Chicken Little amuses and warns us. In case you've forgotten, Chicken Little was walking one day when an acorn fell on her head. She assumed that the sky was falling and ran around spreading fear and chaos with her urgently repeated warning, born of misinformation. I am all for being aware, informed, and in touch. Part of me wonders, however, if we are falling victim to the hysterical voices warning of impending doom that is imagined, the result of wrong conclusions, based on misinterpreted facts. Yes, Americans eat too much and are overweight. Is this a problem or a crisis? Yes, we burn too much carbon based fuel and our actions are having a real impact on the planet, but are we really headed for the environmental cataclysm promised by some alarmists? Yes, there is a general spiritual malaise in America, but is Christianity actually on the brink of extinction as implied by some preachers and prophets?

I look back at 'the good old days' and do not see a better world! Looking back fifty years ago, we could conclude that America was a better place if we recall a few selected memories of intact families and , but it was a troubled time, too. America was living under the threat of nuclear annihilation, the governing strategy being a stand-off between nuclear powers called "Mutual Assured Destruction," with the very apt MAD acronym describing it. Black Americans still lived in segregated communities as second class citizens. Many churches were full, but as many were in the grip of the culture, almost completely silent in the face of societal sins, using the Gospel of Christ to provide a nice gloss over the excesses of American culture.

Here's the truth. Every generation faces its challenges, deals with its own sins, and has important decisions to make. There are factors that converge - such things as wars, natural disasters, political leadership, and spiritual influence - that effect the flow of history for a time. Some choices are made well and even help to set the stage for the success of the next generation. But there is also the law of unintended consequences! Decisions are made, using the best information available at the time, based on the knowledge available, that prove to be disastrous 50 years later.

What we all need is a healthy dose of humility that acknowledges our limits of knowledge, power, and control over life. King Solomon was right. He wrote, "The last and final word is this: Fear God. Do what he tells you. And that’s it. Eventually God will bring everything that we do out into the open and judge it according to its hidden intent, whether it’s good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, The Message) This kind of life is blessed with courage to face today's challenges, with the wisdom of God that leads to the best life, and - best of all - with His eternal approval.

Here's a word to take with you today.
"Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

Be still in the presence of the Lord, and
wait patiently for him to act.
Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes."

"The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.
Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."
(Psalm 37:3-7, 23-24 NLT)