EVERY DAY, IN LITTLE WAYS, I try to make the world a better place by loving others. Awhile back, as I was going about my normal day-to-day activities at work, I began feeling guilty that my life was as good as it was. I'd been feeling alarmed by the sheer heartlessness of the world that I saw on the news every day. For example, I heard a story involving animal abuse that left me angered and saddened. I felt I could never do enough for the world to end its chaos. The task of reforming the world felt overwhelming—too much for any one person to handle. But through the storm of my thoughts, I found a peaceful voice inside—God's voice.
As I listened and prayed, one idea that helped me to think more clearly about the chaos in the world came from the Apostle Paul, who said, "None of these things move me" (Acts 20:24). I needed to stop focusing on the "things" of the world, such as injustice and cruelty, letting them "move me" into being saddened and worried. Instead, my job was to do as Paul had learned to do: He helped people no matter what, even when he was imprisoned!
In order to pray effectively for the world I first turned to Genesis, which shows that God made everything and that He made it "very good" (Gen 1:31). I needed to realize that this goodness is permanent, just as God is permanent. I like to think of the description of creation found in the book of James: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning" (1:17). Not only is everyone and everything good, but there are no variables—no accidents or less-than-good creations—and no "shadow of turning"—no chance of these creations losing their goodness or becoming bad. So we all are created absolutely and completely good. I can't think of a more wonderful gift.
