I have to be honest this morning – I’m deeply worried about our world. I’m not talking financially – although I do understand that dollars, cents, pounds and euros are always part of the equation – so much as socially. This world is deeply troubled, and I’m concerned at a level I never have been before.

It’s the rioting in London that has me a little over the edge. London? Seriously? This is the place where people made tea during Nazi air raids. This is the country where major sporting events have a pause, mid-contest, for afternoon tea. This is the nation where good manners are, well, everything.

But of course the world has changed. I know that; we all know that. I may have been raised in a culture defined by civility, but today we live on a planet that has become both the beneficiary… and the victim… of globalization.

Along with the globalization of economics, we now have the globalization of unrest.

I think we have forgotten that civilization hangs on a thread. And that most tender of threads is the buy-in people have to certain foundational ideas. I’m talking about things such as:

• Courtesy
• Trust
• Manners
• Love
• Respect for others
• Personal space
• Sharing

Yes, I know, it sounds like an elementary school report card. But the big, huge, gargantuan problems that dominate the world news are never going to be satisfactorily addressed until we get a handle on teaching these primary values to each generation, one at a time, as they are nurtured in families around the globe.

I’m tired of hearing vitriol pour out of the mouths of fundamentalists over bedroom issues when what this world needs is a systemic infusion of justice and mercy:

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8)

I’d like to draw our attention to the words of Jesus, who knew exactly where the world was/is broken, and who always puts his finger on the solution. There’s some paraphrasing, but you’ll easily recognize excerpts from the first few verses of Matthew 5 – the Sermon on the Mount:

Jesus took one look at the crowds, then he climbed onto the hillside and sat down. His friends gathered around and he knew exactly what to say:

“My blessing is for the poor in spirit; in fact, the kingdom of heaven is theirs. You see, my kingdom is a place of comfort for those who mourn. Over the long haul, this world will not respond well to intimidation, but – rather – it’s going to belong to the meek. My blessing is that people who have a real passion for righteousness – which is another way of saying justice -are going to find satisfaction. Mercy given is the avenue to mercy received, and it’s those people who cultivate pure hearts who are the ones more able to see God. A lot of folk like to claim the title “Children of God”, but – if you want to know who really holds that designation – it’s the peacemakers. The kingdom of heaven belongs to those of my children who are persecuted because of their stand on justice. Bottom line, your job is simple – be the salt of the earth; be light to this world. Let your light shine in a way that makes a positive difference; then what you actually do will be all the evidence this world needs.”

Amen! – DEREK