I am frequently amazed at the amount of emotional energy and time that people will spend on things that they cannot control. I suspect that social media is largely to blame, as people somehow confuse posting a rant online with actually doing something productive. Whatever the reasons may be, people are working themselves into a frenzy over perceived deeds of unrighteousness done by people they have never met upon people that they do not know, with the insult being that their cumulative angst will have no impact on either the aggrieved or the aggressor.
At the same time, I am frequently amazed at the relatively limited amount of resources that it takes to make a real difference in the life of someone who needs help, whether that person lives in the same community or somewhere around the world. The simple act of spending time with someone can be life changing, as can the act of donating perfectly good things that are gathering dust in your home to charitable efforts that will sell them or repurpose them. Of course, writing checks can always help too, but the point is that there are significant ways to touch lives that simply require a desire to help, coupled with a willingness to reallocate some of your resources to that cause.
The remarkable thing about taking tangible steps to make a difference, as opposed to simply ranting online about problems, is that two very powerful transformations take place. First, by being a part of a solution that provides tangible results, you get to go from being anxious for things that you can’t do anything about to experiencing the joy of contributing to the betterment of someone else. Second, your efforts benefit an actual person, helping to lift them up in a way that no online post could ever do. This is the point that New Testament writer James makes when he chastises the notion of offering someone who is hungry some soothing words instead of actual food. It is empowering to discover that you can change lives, and the people who benefit from your generosity will also be positively impacted.
Reinhold Niebuhr, a 20th Century theologian and professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, wrote perhaps the most profound prayer of that century when he penned what is now known as the Serenity Prayer. In the first sentence of the prayer, he writes “God, give us grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed, courage to change the things that should be changed, and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.” Niebuhr knew that we are created to be people of action, which could be maddening if we act without results, but also gratifying if our actions were beneficial, so he simply prayed that we would be wise enough to tell the difference. Indeed, it can be the difference between peace and madness.
Friends, there are certainly major issues of a global scale taking place today, but very few of us are in a position to do anything tangible about them. But nearly all of us can make a positive impact by doing something small and tangible in the life of a neighbor. One small, kind, and simple gesture may not seem like much, but if every one of us did it, the ripples would seem like a tidal wave of transformation – in our own hearts and in the lives of our neighbors. So pray for the grace, wisdom, and courage that Niebuhr prayed for, and see if it doesn’t bring about peace in your life and the lives of others.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron