How to Solve the Problems of the World, Simply

    I know exactly what you're thinking, right now. Who is this crazy (or know-it-all) woman who thinks she has the answer to everything? That would be me, because I do--but I can't take credit for it, at all. All I did was read it and acknowledge its truth, and the simplicity of it. 

    Here it is: "Ye shall not oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I AM the LORD your God." [Leviticus 25:17, KJV]. It really is simple, but what we call "human nature" gets in the way (it's really sin, but you can call it human nature if it makes you feel better). The truth is we make it sound like we are without choice in the matter; but that's not entirely so. Each of us has been gifted with free will--no matter how good or evil, we have it; and we can do with it whatever we choose. So, in reality it's not human nature--we weren't created to do evil; that's not the natural thing for created mankind. It is for fallen mankind; but even then, we still have a choice whether we will do good or evil.

   Conscience beckons all of us to do the right thing, until we ignore it repeatedly. Even people who don't necessarily believe in God are instilled with consciousness--we all know the difference between right and wrong. We decide if we will allow things such as pride, greed, power, lust to supersede doing what is right. Basically, those four things lead us to harm, disrespect, and even kill others. At the root of world wars, you will find one, if not all of them. And even in our lives when we hurt someone; if we look deep enough, at least one of them will be at the root also.

    The Leviticus verse caught me so profoundly when I read it this morning. Blogging was the last thing on my mind, today. But it was just so apropos as I watch the news around the world and right here at home--and even things I see closer to home involving friends and family. As I look at the situations in the Ukraine and the Gaza Strip--both threatening world peace, I see two men who want to control people, land and resources and be adored in the process. Hamas reminds me of Amalek, not caring about who is destroyed in the process of their goal of the destruction of Israel--their lust is for blood, and they don't mind sacrificing innocent Palestinians in their quest to destroy Israelis. I will save Bibi Netanyahu for another time--when I have a lot more of it.

    Here in America, I watch as our Supreme Court works to keep the status quo in place so that they have no governance and can do as they please. Once upon a time, that worked. Once upon a time, the justices were (for the most part) people of integrity who were willing to police themselves, and abide by unwritten laws that led them to live without reproach. 

    In today's Congress, time passes by while nothing is done for the American people, or infrastructure, or research, as men (and a few women, too) grapple for power and the spotlight. The states are experiencing much of the same disease as legislatures work to put in place leaders who will overturn the will of voters in elections. 

    Oppression. Oppression. Oppression. Everywhere you turn today, there is so much oppression. Any time you attempt to suppress voters that leads to the oppression of the majority. Whenever, men and women are focused on seizing power rather than the job at hand, pride is at work and oppression is sure to follow. 

    Let's not forget the other point of this verse: the part about "the fear of the LORD". Fear, in this context [Hebrew: yare'], means both "to fear, morally, to revere; caus. to frighten". This is key, I believe that is what is lost today--that reverential fear of God. It's as if we don't believe in the reality of God, even as we purport to fight causes in His Name. It is clear by our attitudes, speech and hatred that God is not involved in the battles that we claim to fight for Him. Where grace and love are not present, He is not with us. When we begin to speak of our political opponents as vermin, and speak of jailing them--or worse, God is not approving of our methods or our plan. the Bible tells us that, "The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying sophisticated arguments and every exalted and proud thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought and purpose captive to the obedience of Christ, being ready to punish every act of disobedience, when your own obedience [as a church] is complete."

    At the root of ALL for we who say we are Christians, must be love, grace, patience and yes, even tolerance. We are not required to like or agree with everyone or everything, but we are required to see everyone no matter where they come from or how they irritate us, as God's Image-bearer's. Everyone is made in His Image and after His Likeness. Not everyone recognizes that about themselves, but how we treat them could have a great impact on their recognition of that. Be a change maker for God, not for evil.

Spread love.