The World “Around”…

MONDAY, JUNE 4, 2001, 6:50 PM
FARM, STUDY

You listen to news of the world almost every evening. You generally have the feeling that this is a good use of time, even a “responsibility” as an active, informed citizen. For this is what you have been, for most of your life. Should you continue such as you clearly classify yourself as… emeritus… retired… “over the hill”? And, as I perceive you, this is not a negative judgment or “classification.” You have had your active years. Now… let others “be in charge.”

As you look out at this place you see that it needs some constant “attention” from you, if it is to remain as you envision it… as you want it to be. And as you look around you in this small, familiar room the judgment is similar. It should be neater, and you are the one responsible for the “clutter.”

There is much “going on” in this world, of which you are a small part. During your career you were concerned with this world, doing some things that seemed necessary, yourself, and feeling (and hoping) that some, if not many, of those who learned some about life and health from you would be active, in later generations. Now you no longer have these opportunities to motivate (even inspire) some students, and you realize that this is as it should be. Your active career is over, you no longer miss that life, and now it just is time to contemplate… appreciate.

You know that it no longer is the time for you to be active in “causes”… even to consider what the worthy “causes” are. The evening news and the morning paper tell you of actions around the country and the world, many of which are violent and harmful to some. You tend to think that I am responsible (at least in part), for I do have powers that can prevent or settle some of these “actions.” But of course you also consider… and presume… that I AM in charge, that I do maintain and restore peace with many people and factions. And if I were not doing what I do, and well, the world would TRULY have problems.

You also realize, and I encourage such perceptions, that the news as you hear, see, and read it focuses inordinately on the violent, the disruptive, and the destructive. This is a particular philosophy of “what real news is”… in contrast to the lives and actions of those who live life more simply, humbly, and thankfully.

AND… My Holy Scriptures generally don’t do much to change this perception. In the “story” most relevant for you Christian, I was born, as Jesus, but into a world of people who opposed what I symbolized. My parents had to flee with Me to save My young life. I did grow up and had a successful ministry, but in only three years of this I was captured, accused, judged guilty of “offending” the Jews, My people, and was crucified, AND this is one of the great stories of the faith – I gave up My life, on earth, so that those who acknowledged Me as Lord and Savior (not just as a poor, crucified Jew) would have eternal life, with Me. But, of course, this came forth from violence.

In these present times the Jewish Israelis and the Moslem Arabs want some of the same land, there in that same Middle East where I had My life, as Jesus. This results in conflicts, and these escalate to violence, injuries and deaths.

The world “around you” seems full of violence and conflict. Yet here, in this place, in this area, there is actually rather little conflict and struggle. So… at your age, and with your life experiences being comparatively peaceful and non-violent, you feel less and less need to be involved in conflict… or even to hear about such. If conflicts, “warfare,” and struggles are necessary, let them be, with little attention.