In the midst of all the tragedy in this world recently – and not just on the national level – it’s good to get a little good news. Today I did. I found out that the lumps removed from Koda via surgery last week are both benign.
And yet, I’d trade in that good news if it would bring back any of the human beings who have recently lost their lives. I feel kind of weird saying that. I love this dog. And I am so very thankful that she is okay. I guess I’m just as numb as the rest of the world is about now, try hard as I might to not focus on the evil.
I really don’t want to write about tragedy, because I choose to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). It really does make this world and all the evil in it become strangely dim as I focus my eyes upon God and His kingdom. This most recent newsworthy episode is only one horror in a world full of them. Society can focus on this and try and fix it with laws and social programs so something like this is less likely to happen – and I really hope they can come up with some at least partial solutions – but the problem is that this world is broken. You can’t cure hate with legislation. Hate is a heart issue whose antidote is love.
So what do we do with that? Feel helpless? No! We don’t have to stay stuck in the negative. We can take our feelings and use them to help another child live a life filled with love and hope, in honor of a child who has lost their life. What more beautiful way to turn tears into triumph and sorrow into joy?
Here are some things we can do. We can sponsor a child through one of the many agencies there are – Compassion International is one I use. We can become a big sister or big brother to a child. We can donate to agencies that are helping youth, like Children’s Hunger Fund, or Straight Ahead Ministries, or so many others. We can volunteer in a school. We can babysit for a mother that could use a break. We can foster a child or even adopt one. We can go into the neo-natal unit of a hospital and rock a crack baby. We can even just smile and listen to a youngster that is full of wonder and stories. Or play a game with them. Or read to them.
This is the season that a child was born. The really Good News. Let us birth the love that He brought into the world into the lives of the children around us this Christmas. And may the God of comfort fill all of our souls with peace.