Impact Your World and Change Society

Our society today is experiencing change, upheaval, crisis, opportunity; use what ever words you believe fit. But no matter what you think of what is going on, we may agree that tensions and emotions are rising. Patience is not as prevalent as it once was and the rhetoric used by broadcasters has become sharper.

This is the world in which we now live. What can we do? I mean you and I. We all live in our own worlds that for the most part doesn't feel like we have much influence in the larger world. We all want our world to be better. And that may mean quieter to some and more exciting to others. But we all need more faith, hope and love. The big question really is, how do we get them?

Let's start with the basics. What is true?

1. God is alive and well. He is evident in nature itself beyond denial unless facts and rules of evidence themselves are denied.
2. He created you. You are unique, fearfully and wonderfully made. Of the millions of people alive today or who ever lived, no one else is you.
3. You have value for just being you. No matter what you do or do not accomplish, your value is intrinsic because there is only one you.
4. The first rule of business is you do not receive anything until you first give something of yourself. Nothing is free, there is a price to pay for everything.
5. You are fully equipped for success. Life provides the opportunities to utilize who you are and what talents you have.

Ok, now what does this information mean?

1. Prayer changes things.
2. Know that you matter (who you are, what you think and how you feel) to everyone around you. Especially your family and those you have chosen to be your friends.
3. Know that what you say makes a difference. Words do more harm than sticks and stones. Negative and hurtful words do damage that takes longer to heal than injuries from sticks and stones. But words also enhance life and healing to relationships beyond the effect of actions.
4. Know that what you do makes a difference. Every action you take ripples to affect everyone else around you, good and bad.

What can we do to make our lives and our world a better place to live?

1. Pray
2. Use words intentionally. Only say what you mean and truly mean what you say. This is especially important when you err and seek forgiveness.
3. Act purposefully. I'm not sure if that is even a word, but you know what I mean. Do only that which you will be proud of tomorrow. Act to build better relationships and leave the tearing down to someone else.
4. When you make a promise, keep it. Be certain that once a vow is made, you will be held to fulfill it. Keep it even at great personal cost and your blessings will multiply.

How does this look fleshed out?

1. Take time each day to draw close to God and just be quiet with Him.
2. If you are single, as opposed to being married, treat every date as though they are the most precious person on earth. They are to someone else already and soon maybe to you as well. Proper, respectful treatment will never come back to haunt you.
3. If you are married then remember your promise. A marriage is not a partnership. For in a partnership there is a contract that sets the boundaries and keeps the partners separate and in their place. A marriage is more of a blending, where the two become one entity. In blending the individual components in the mix once blended can no longer be found. Individually they have ceased to exist, except as part of the one new whole. There are no you's, there are no me's, but there is only one "WE". We start our life together with a "WE"d"DING", and then live our lives together for a "MARRI" "AGE"! Meaning an age (or life) long journey of learning to love each other as we love ourselves.

I am convinced if we do just these things, then a lot of other personal and extended societal issues will either resolve themselves or the way to resolve them will become clear, self evident and much easier to accomplish. For only then will we have the basic foundation required to rebuild a society that promotes faith, is the very evidence of hope and is full of love.