What Can We Do?
“…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” ~ Mat. 5:16
Lately, I have been troubled by a reoccurring question: what can I do? All around me, evil seems to be spreading, Truth is obscured, people are suffering, and the world seems to have lost its collective mind. There is such darkness, I keep asking: what can I do to stop this? Surely, there must be a solution, and I want to be a part of it! I have also heard others express the same sentiment. In a world that is collapsing around us, where evil seems to be on the rise, we can no longer afford to sit back and watch.
The question is, what is the most effective way for Christians to engage?
Before we get into the direct answer to that, I think there is some baggage behind this question that should be unpacked first. When I ask this question, I sense within me a yearning to change the world back to the way it was - to instantly impact the universe I inhabit with some grand scheme that will restore everything to normal so that I can go back to the comfortable life I used to live. My spirit tells me that may not be a worthy motive, or an attainable objective.
So, can I do something that will actually make a dent in this evil?
Is it foolish to think I can single-handedly drive back the darkness? For starters, I am only one person, and I am bound by my own limited power, fame, and influence. For another thing, the world has already changed and it is never possible to turn back the clock to a time that is gone. Also, I recognize that this question may betray latent slothfulness on my part. Why do I want to jump into the arena? If it is just to restore normalcy, do I really want to go back to sleep? To return to a meaningless world where the overt pain I feel in the face of real obstacles is shoved back under the surface to simmer in the subtle stew of indolence? Real challenges, after all, produce real character, and it is in these times that we find out what we are truly made of.
On the other hand, if his motives are true, one person can accomplish a lot and impact things in ways he never imagined - like a ripple from a pebble tossed onto the still surface of a lake. And even if each person is quite limited in his individual influence, it still stands to reason that if many people take action simultaneously, their combined diligence can move mountains. More than that, God possesses an overabundance of the power needed to make up for our limitations if we walk with him. But even if one person will make little difference, it is important to acknowledge that the result of my faithfulness is not up to me. The results of our faithfulness are outside of our control.
All I can do is to be trustworthy with the gifts Jesus gave me. Whether that actually impacts the world is irrelevant. It is my duty.
Nevertheless, I do believe that one person can make a difference when that person’s motives are pure and his ally is God, so let’s look at what specifically can be done to combat the evil of our time.
First, (I say this to myself more than to you) - We must pray!
If we are not begging the one who created reality to help us change reality, how far are we really going to get? Satan is the god of this world, his power and influence are great, and as the hymn (A Mighty Fortress is our God) says, “armed with cruel hate, on earth is not his equal.” So, it is silly for us to think that we can win a spiritual battle against such a foe with purely human and earthly means. We must all pray earnestly and frequently. “if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” ~ 2 Cor. 4:3-4.
Second, we should impact the closest sphere of our influence and then extend outward.
I must start each day by getting back in fellowship with God - reminding myself to be thankful for the blessings I still enjoy, confessing my sins, and asking humbly for his help. Each day I wake up and still breath is a gift.
So, the first sphere of influence is myself. I must separate myself from evil before I can hope to defeat it in the world. This involves exposing my mind to to the words of the Bible daily so that it can be shaped and transformed - (and protected!). Also, I think each person must find his or her ultimate purpose. God has given each of us gifts and we should find out what those are and use them.
The next sphere, is our family. If I am a poor husband and father, I am already contributing to the downfall of society by having priorities that are distorted. I must raise the next generation in the ways of God, or they will likely turn out to be little hedonists, and the Devil will crush them.
After that, is my church. It is important to find a church that truly believes in Jesus and that has real tangible strategies to spread the gospel and speak the truth. I can support this church with my time, gifts, energy and funds. Each church is a lamp in the darkness, without which the evil in our world accelerates unchecked. The church is a platform to spread the gospel which is the power of God to destroy the works of the Devil. This Gospel is our most important weapon against the present darkness!
Only the kingdom of God activated in men’s hearts will change the actions of individuals and nations.
The last sphere is the marketplace. This includes all of our daily interactions with others in our work and while running errands etc. If we are walking with Jesus, we will identify and use opportunities to share the hope that is in us with our friends and acquaintances. Just be ready to tell others what Jesus has done for you. That is the power of our individual testimony. The marketplace also includes active citizenry. If we have grown in the Word of God, it will be clear to us who to vote for, because we can evaluate what candidates and propositions align with God’s laws. This final sphere is vital, for if we spend all our time on our personal growth and do not impact the world we live in, we are not effective. We are not being the “salt of the earth” that Jesus spoke of (Mat. 5:13). We must live out our faith in real action, we can no longer afford to keep our lights hidden (Mat. 5:14). That action should not stop with voting. Many of us should volunteer to be poll watchers, sit on boards and committees and run for political office. Those of us who can’t should support those who do. Churches should help to organize these efforts rather than being passive and neutral. Through organized efforts, the power of one can be multiplied through a hierarchy of influence.
So, what can we do? I think we can each do something. And, collectively, we can do a lot to combat evil if our motives are pure, our priorities well ordered, and our purpose is clear. When we find the purpose God put us here for and start living that out, the power unleashed is difficult to overestimate. Indeed, that is what I’m trying to do by writing this: using my platform and gifts of writing and music to encourage you, so that together we can take back the ground that was lost during the years of the church’s complacency. We will never go back to “the way things were,” but we can live in victory as we look to a future full of hope. Each day is a battle with real evil, but we walk hand in hand with The One who has already conquered it. We will either take back this ground now, or we will experience a temporary delay and soon return to see him conquer all evil in the blink of an eye at the final trumpet (1 Cor. 15:52-58).
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” ~ 1 Cor 15:58.
Become who you were born to be. Resist evil. Do not comply. Overcome darkness with the power of God in each of the spheres of your life and you will no longer need to ask “what can I do?” for you will know you have done all that you can and that is enough. Your conscience is clear.
The result is up to Jesus.
~ Joshua