When the World Turns Ugly

What is one to do? I mean really, what are we to do? In the light of the ugly and tragic events in Paris and in other places throughout the world like Lebanon and Syria...what are we on the other side of the world, to do?  I don't know about you but I feel helpless, scared and sad. Tears come easily for the dead, the injured and all the hurting people effected by these terrible acts.

Yep we live in dark days.  It not just across the seas that terrible acts are being committed, one only needs to look out there front door into their own community to see ugly acts of violence and oppression. Our countries children are being beaten and killed by the people that are suppose to be loving and protecting them the most. Terror reigns in our schools in the form of bullying both in the physical and in the cyber-world. Yep we live in dark dark days.

Its easy to feel overwhelmed and scared. Its a normal response to get angry and rant or wish that justice would be served on these people committing these horrific acts both over there and at home. We see the worlds leaders planning or declaring war on the perpetrators and their countries.  "Just nuke the @#$&* out of them" is a popular statement being passed around.  But is that really the answer?

Its also easy to feel so helpless and so disillusioned with mankind and the world that we live in that we think "whats the point?"   To see our lives we live with the highs and lows we experience as insignificant and meaningless. "Why am I bothering to learn about the digestive system when people are bombing innocent lives?" is one question I read from a social media post. Another was "we seem to be on the brink of WWIII yet its kind of surreal and stupid that I am eating my cornflakes like nothing has even happened".

Its also easy to disengage from the people around us, from our community, to think of only ourselves and to view others with distrust and judgement. We begin to isolate ourselves and our families, thinking of ourselves better than those around us. We can look down on on anyone different from us because we just don't know about them.  The world is a dangerous place therefore they must be dangerous so I'll keep to myself and you stay over there. We then start to turn a blind eye and a blind ear to clear wrong doing against the young and the helpless, for fear of our own safety and that of our family. We will avoid streets, shops and schools out of fear, which in turns separates us even more causing more distrust and more dislike and in turn can lead to hatred.

But only if we understood. In these dark days its not too late for us, yes us, me and you, to make a difference. We can do much more than tint our profile pics red,blue and white or use "pray for Paris" hashtags ( not that these are bad things)  Sure we can't stop the terror bombings, world hunger, and mass killing as individuals but collectively we can make a difference and its not all that hard. The answer is love. L.O.V.E. Yes that's right a great big heart shaped heart! Now is not the time for us to remain scared and angry, or to be disillusioned nor is it time to harbor hatred and distrust. We won't be changing the world by judging and preaching at them the error of there ways. No, now is the time to connect in LOVE.  Oh I understand how hard that maybe for some. But go on love, even if its just a little bit.  Your spouse,  your kids,  your family,  your neighbors, (yep even the ones who live differently to you)  your workmates,  your class mates,  the lady that sits behind you in the bus,  the man who makes your coffee,  everyone that comes across your path in a day! Ok so it maybe a little awkward if you go around spreading love in the form of hugging everyone but how just be kind, smile, help, chat, encourage, befriend, meet a need, sweep a floor, wash a car, pull a weed, pay for a coffee or a trolley full of groceries.  The possibilities are endless when it comes to filling the world with such kindness AND if everyone was just that bit more kinder and more loving then as cheesey and cliche it might be....THAT right there will help make the world a better place.

God left us with some beautiful wisdom in how we are to live our lives, to make a difference in the world we live in. Perhaps its time to listen and act?

And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' 38"This is the great and foremost commandment. 39"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'…                                                                                                                                -  Matthew 22:38-39

We cannot expect to change the world with condemnation, judgement and hatred but with kindness, understanding, connection and love we may just be able to start. xx

How are you feeling in light of the horrific events occurring in the world? Have they change the way you see to live your life? Have you received some unexpected kindness this week? 

Care to pay-it-forward? I dare you!