Have you noticed? The online world is a very angry place right now. Just spend a few minutes on Twitter. Or any other social media platform for that matter. 

People are complaining about this or that. They’re accusing so-and-so of this, that and the other thing. Or they’re advocating for a certain cause and calling everyone else names if they don’t agree completely.

I saw one person speak out against war, and then another person speak out against war as well. Then the first person said the second person should keep their mouth shut because they weren’t equally as upset about issues within their own country. They had something in common (alarm and upset about war) and STILL ended up bickering! 

The self-righteous love a soap box, especially when hiding behind a screen.

I say all of this to introduce today’s key idea: You can’t expect the world to change if you’re last in line.

-Do you long for respectful dialogue? Then engage in respectful dialogue.
-Do you long for a more loving world? Then be more loving.
-Do you long for thoughtfulness, faithfulness and respectfulness? Then be an example of all three.
You get the picture.

Philippians 2:15-16 comes to mind: “become blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.’ Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life.”

Yup, there’s a lot in the world that needs changing. But you have much more control over what YOU do and say than what OTHER people do and say.

“Shine among them like stars in the sky.”

You can’t expect the world to change if you’re last in line. 

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Notes:

–Sermon. “John 3:16—If I should wake before I die.” March 6, 2022. Click here.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.