Think on These Things

"Hate. It has caused a lot of problems in this world, but it has not solved one yet." - Maya Angelou

This world is full of hatred. I can't even read the news anymore without uttering the words, "This world has gone crazy." 

I often pray for peace. For my community, my country, and the world. I lift up silent prayers and hope they do some good. But too often, I doubt that my simple prayers for good in a world of evil will change anything. Then God gently reminds me David was much smaller and weaker than Goliath. And just like one of my Sunday School preschoolers, I'm mesmerized by how great my God is.

There are a lot of stories circulating news sources and social media right now. Stories of hate and violence. It's depressing. It's heartbreaking. It's sad. It's disappointing.

I refuse to turn on my TV screen. I can't justify filling my home with unease and unrest. But my eyes do find their way to the news every so often. Because I need to know how much crazier this world has become as the hours press on. 

Every time I read something terrible or see something disturbing, this Bible verse comes to mind: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever if admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Philippians 4:8

And, so, I start to comb through all the good stories I have. Stories of faith and hope. Stories of God's miraculous healing and restoration.

Then, I settle on the same scene that plays on repeat in my mind. 

A broken man walks into my classroom one summer day. He painfully sits down. The hard years are etched into the lines on his face. But he smiles and I see missing teeth. He smiles through the years of disappointments and hardships. It's genuine. He laughs. He lives. He keeps moving forward at his slow pace.

Another man walks into my classroom. He's well off. I can tell by the way he carries himself. The way his shirt is ironed without a single crease. There are no lines etched into his face. He's has a good and decent life. Yes, he's suffered setbacks and hardship and trials, but he's persevered and come out ahead. Far ahead.

He takes a seat next to the broken man. 

I wonder what will transpire. Will he ignore him? Will he look down on him? Will he reach out and touch him?

I watch from a distance. 

Suddenly, the well-to-do man offers a hand to the broken man and the broken man--still smiling ear-to-ear--takes it. They exchange pleasantries and the well-to-do man tells the broken man a funny story. 

They're bonded.

The weeks move on. Summer turns to fall and the broken man suffers a setback. So, the well-to-do man arrives early to class and grabs a wheelchair. He watches from the window for the broken man, like a young boy waits for his best friend. 

When he arrives, the well-to-do man races out the door, his arm waving an excited greeting. He wheels the man inside. They talk. They laugh. They share stories.

The well-to-do man wheels the broken man to the bathroom. He wheels him to the office. He wheels him to his car and waves him off as he drives home. 

For weeks, my heart is lifted and changed. I watch from my classroom and begin to understand that love moves in strange and mysterious ways. 

There are no limits to love.

And I found myself changed by the experience. 

This well-to-do man showed me that our net incomes mean absolutely nothing. Not a thing. Money can buy a lot of things, but it cannot buy a compassionate and kind heart. It cannot teach a man to offer every good thing he has to a man who has nothing.

This man reminded me that the weak can only be lifted by the strong. And there are strong people willing to lift the weak. 

This man helped me remember that there is so much good in this world. Good, and not evil. Sometimes, we just need to slow down and look around.

These are the stories that should be circulating our news sources and social media. Stories of humankind's goodness. Our successes. Our triumphs. Our willingness to abandon our social roles and reach down low to pull up the broken. 

Because these two men taught me that I must think on these things. I must spend my days and hours lost in thoughts of our good--never our evil. 

Change starts here. When we choose to seek good. When we choose to solve the problems of the world when we take the hatred and suffocate it with love.

Will you think on these things?