How can Christians respond in a positive and helpful way in the midst of the challenges of 21st century life

As school opened this past week, another new challenge arose in our community, and also in Anchorage. The problem is there are not enough school buses nor bus drivers to transport children to public schools. Obviously this creates difficulties. How will children get to school? Will parents who work have to show up late to their jobs? Will students just not attend school for the day? But, while the bus shortage creates problems, sometimes the reaction to our problems is even worse. The newspapers and social media have been full of complaints and name calling. And, this is just one of many issues that have arisen in recent years including COVID, shortage of workers in many areas, supply chain shortages, and deep divisions in our country. I’ve heard people comment that our world is falling apart. I understand their concerns.

So, my question is, “How can Christians respond in a positive and helpful way in the midst of the challenges of 21st century life?” How can we be helpful, rather that make the problem worse? How can we bring the love and the strength and the wisdom of our Lord to these struggles?

In my devotions on Tuesday, August 23, the closing prayer was written by St. Ignatius of Loyola. (1491-1556) The fervor of Ignatius in the prayer moved me. He wrote and prayed, “Teach me to serve Thee as Thou deservest; to give, and not to count the cost; to fight, and not to heed the wounds, to toil, and not to seek for rest, and to ask for no reward, save that of knowing that I do Thy will. Amen.” (For All The Saints, Volume IV, pages 367-368.) In other words, Christian faith is not just something to think or to feel, but also to live, to show in one’s life. St. Ignatius prayed for God’s help to live his faith in Jesus. That is a worthy prayer for Christians today.

One of the reasons this prayer struck me is because of the topic of Adult Bible Class at St. John Lutheran in Palmer on the previous Sunday, August 21. The discussion revolved around our changing culture, and how to witness effectively and faithfully concerning Jesus. We looked at 1 Peter 2:9-12. Verses 9-10 read, “9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” In other words, Peter writes to the people of his day, God speaks to the people of all time, and shares how special our Lord’s love is. God chose people who were unloved and loved them in His Son, Jesus. Our Father, therefore, calls the recipients of this letter to share His love in Jesus, to “declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

But, HOW are God’s people to witness? Do we share thoughts and feelings in words only? Listen to what God inspired Peter to write, encouraging the witness of Christians. “11 Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:11-12) Words alone can be effective. But, more effective in sharing God’s love is the life of the Christian. According to St. Peter, some of those who accused Christians of “doing wrong” will “glorify God on the day He visits us.” This is because they have seen the lives of God’s children. Do you know any who do not NOW know Jesus, but who will praise God on Judgement Day, having been convinced as the Spirit works faith, using your words AND your actions to point them to Jesus? Are the actions of your life speaking of God’s grace?

However, there is a problem. My life and my actions are not always faithful, nor loving, nor selfless. In fact, Christians at times speak of righteousness, yet then live in ways that show anger, or greed, or show lack of love, or exhibit lack of faith. When Christians speak of faith and love but live in self-righteousness or selfishness, they give a bad witness, and the world sees them as hypocrites. In truth, St. Ignatius struggled too. No wonder he prayed that prayer.

Our failures, after all, are the reason God sent His Son. All struggle with the desire to serve self, with the desires of the flesh. No one is perfect, including Christians, including St. Ignatius. We need a savior. We need Jesus. Actually, effective witnessing includes admitting our own faults, and our need for someone to forgive and to save us from our sins. You see, if I know that I do not deserve God’s love, yet see my Heavenly Father’s grace in Jesus, then my actions of faith are a natural reaction of thankfulness. Then my actions of faith come from my heart.

So, in the middle of recent difficulties, wouldn’t the calm of knowing that God is in charge make a difference? As people complain, wouldn’t an attitude of humility because of our own shortcomings, humility which understand the struggles of others, be welcome? Wouldn’t faithful and willing service be different from the loud demands we see around us? Maybe that is how God’s children can make a difference.

I am a sinner, yet Jesus died and rose to save me. How can I not love Him? How can I not trust Him? How can I not serve Him, and others because of His love for me? If Christians trust Jesus, and live their faith, it makes a difference in our world. When the world is falling apart, God’s people can provide a welcome helpfulness. When we know the problems in our world and we know our own failings, but we also know the saving love of Jesus, when we respond to that love, it makes a difference from what is going on around us.

Believe in JESUS – LIVE your faith. You will be a blessing. You will point to Jesus!