It’s time for a miracle
By Joe Rector
The minister talked about miracles today. Instead of staying with her as she explained, my mind wandered about what kind of miracles this world could use today. Several of them quickly came to mind, but only a few seemed most important for now. I’ll call the miracle the four Ps.
The first P is “polarization.” This country’s citizens have by choice divided themselves into groups. It’s always been a problem, but since the 2016 election, the separation into different groups has become a frightening thing. If the USA wants to continue to be “the shining beacon on the hill” or “the last best hope on earth,” then it is we, the present caretakers of this place who have to unite. The miracle of unity over polarization would bring an end to the problems we have in so many areas. The rest of the world would again have the symbol of freedom and democracy lighting the way.
The next P is “phones.” This device is an essential tool for all parts of our lives. The problem is that cell phones have become too many people’s world. At restaurants, concerts, schools and churches, those handheld devices are stuck squarely in the faces of users. Life outside the confines of the screens doesn’t exist. Entire families sit for a meal without uttering a word because each adult and child has a cell phone that transfixes their brains. A miracle that our world needs is disabling all cell phones except for set hours in the morning and evening. Presto! People sit together at meals and talk. Friends in the same room no longer text each other; they talk instead. Student grades might even improve if they have nothing to draw their attention away from the teacher.
The third P would be “politics.” I am as bad as anyone about being sucked into the cable networks to hear the latest depressing news about the things our so-called leaders are doing or failing to do. The fact that we supported a country that was defending its sovereignty and then pulled the plug on helping to finance the place so that it could obtain military equipment baffles me. Few, if any, bills are passed because all the time is taken in hearing both sides squabble over who is right. The miracle we need is to have only qualified people running for office. I don’t necessarily mean lawyers or lifetime officeholders who’ve never held any other kind of job. I think that we could have this miracle by demanding that any person running for a federal office must be able to pass a rigid test on the Constitution. State candidates would have to pass a test on the state and federal constitutions. Such a demand assures the voters that candidates have some knowledge about the government for which they are making decisions.
The last P is for “peace.” Most of us are just too busy. We run about our business in an almost sprinting way. “Hurry” is the word that echoes in our minds and drives us to the point of exhaustion. We worry over things of which we have no control and too often try to micromanage fellow workers and our children. We don’t live life but struggle through it. In the end, all that’s left to show for our madness is broken-down bodies and worn-out minds. The miracle of peace would set us free from our worries. The things in this life that truly matter would take center stage in our lives. Individuals have to work on finding their peace by living in a new way. The change will be hard, but the miracles that come will be worth the effort.
Christmas is upon us, and it’s a time of excitement and wonder. It also is filled with expectations of what is possible and what might come. Pray for miracles in your lives and expect them to come. Know that they can change the lives of those who are willing to work to make them appear. Believe in miracles because they are right in front of you and only wait for you to reach for them. Your lives will never be the same.
