A Matter of Perspective

A few years ago - okay, 20 years ago, I had just started a new job.  Same employer, different job.  I was taking complaints for the bank president.  Just me, no one else.  Next to me sat a lovely young woman who was working on a program for special handling of our more affluent clients' customer service needs.  She was the only one in that function, so they put us together in an out of the way cubby.  It worked great for us, we were like minded and got along well.There were bad things going on in the world.  The first Gulf war, Jeffrey Dahmer arrested, tried and convicted, riots in Washington DC, Rodney King, riots in Los Angeles, Mike Tyson arrested, tried and convicted, the Tailhook scandal, the first man to "go postal", one of the first high school shootings, Ruby Ridge and Waco.

If you are too young to know what all of those are, you don't want to know, so don't worry about it.  My friend and I looked at the world around us and thought that surely we were going to hell in a handbasket.
Then one day she said, "I don't really want to go through the end of the world, but I just wish He would come now.  It can't get any worse than this!"  I don't remember which news story prompted her to wish for the Second Coming of Christ.  It may have been one of the above, or another - there were plenty.

Since then, the world has gotten worse.  I won't give you another list, but it's worse.  Just as it's worse than when I was growing up and when my kids were growing up.

On the other hand (some day I will run out of hands), it's better.  There are wonderful people striving to do what's right against terrible odds.  The gospel is going forward, more people are learning of Christ and striving to be like him.  We are surrounded daily by angels, as Elisha was.

2 Kings:

15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Be of good cheer; the Lord is on your side!