Gray Times

SAT., JAN. 4, 1992, 1:50 PM
FARM, STUDY

Thus far this has been a gray day, with clouds that linger, preventing the sun from doing any warming. Yet it is not a dark, stormy day. It is a good day compared to this latter possibility, though far from ideal.

As I look at the condition of your country and of the other countries of the earth, in general, I see gray times. There are no major wars or threats of any global significance. Still there is much unrest, with animosities that result in violence and killing. It is not yet a time for Isaiah’s prophesy to be heralded – the beating of swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks.

Yet there are opportunities, and one of the challenges for your culture is that of devising ways of manufacturing necessary, useful products instead of missiles, bombs, warplanes, and other “stuff” that is part of “defense.” It is not as easy to change from missile building to bridge building as from spears into pruning hooks.

I see it more as a gray time, however, because there still is too much selfishness and too little willingness to share the goods and services which an active culture such as yours can produce. The health of your nation is still seen too much in relation to production, with a relatively small portion of the population being the recipients of plenty. It is a complex earth scene, I admit, and I have no sure-fire plan for the economic system that is in such difficulty. My goal is to touch individual human spirits in ways that cause them to share, to be helpful, to be non-acquisitive. Then I see such affected lives as making a “difference” in modern life. The story that Lenore told about the servant of Mine called Moose whose trucks take clothing from where it is donated to where it is needed is one I would like to hear repetitiously… modern means being used to help people in need of clothing, one of a human’s basic needs. This story is a shaft of sunlight on a gray day.

The time can be called gray when I see so few of My Christian brethren reading, studying, pondering, even memorizing Holy Scripture. You are better than average only because the average is low. Just know that I shall continue to urge you to more Bible study, as well as more study of these Teachings. These are an important supplement for you, Words for these modern times for you, in your setting. In your Letter which shall go out soon you mentioned the destiny of the boy David, who became My best king. In this time of relative leisure, read his whole story in the Scriptures so that you know it better. This shall be a shaft of sunlight in gray times.

As you are aware, part of the reason these times seem so gray is that your nation aspires to be a world leader, and many, many reject these attempts at leadership, even if they sometimes benefit therefrom. Another partial cause is the unattainable aspirations your culture tends to have for the present and future. Science and technology can do so much, and yet the benefits cannot seem to be spread to all. How can a balance that is more realistic be achieved? I see small villages of people with much less than you have where aspirations are minimal and where the symbolic sun prevents gray times. Still, I do not recommend that your culture be just like this. Keep it, however, as a vision of a good way for humans to be.

These are gray times for your son Bob, as he strives to make their home liveable, to teach well, and to at least maintain his role as a young scholar. The time and resources to do all that should be done are seldom plentiful. He also wants to serve his church, and this is both laudable and frustrating. Matthew’s gray times, in contrast, come in the midst of ample time and plentiful money. His means are ample, and yet he has no focus for this life that is satisfying and purposeful. This constitutes another shade of gray.