Tune In for Good News

“The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.” (Pr 15:30 AV)

Our media thrives on bad news.  Human tragedy and crisis are sellers.  Their objective is to get you to listen or view so that you’ll be exposed to the advertisements of their clients.  This is how they make their money.  They have to hawk the products of those who advertise with them but they cannot sell to an empty audience.  So, the more tragic or critical a news story is, the more likely it is we will tune in.  Our eyes cannot avert a dramatic situation.  Just think of a rubber-necker delay.  Everyone wants to know what happened.  Was it an accident?  Is it a drug bust?  Do I know the people involved?  We gravitate towards the depravity of mankind.  We cannot help it.  If there is a tornado, we are tuned into the Weather Channel so we can see the depths of our human condition and the courage and faith it takes to overcome.  When I was a kid, if there were fire trucks called to a fire, we would hop on our bikes to go see what happened.  The problem is, a  steady diet of bad news (much being overly exaggerated), will sap the life out of our souls.  Just recently, a foolish Ohio official made the statement there could be 100,000 infected citizens of their state with absolutely no data to back it up.  We as God’s people have the answer.  We have the good news which the world desperately needs.  We have the good report that will calm a world that has gone mad!  And by the way, believer, watch how much doom and gloom coverage you consume.  Balance it with news from unbiased sources who are not out to make a profit or influence an election. 

There is a verse that I often quote.  “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Ec 7:8 AV)  I have quoted this verse to people going through a difficult time.  The point of the verse is that even if our times are troublesome, give it enough time and you will see God’s hand in it all.  You will also see that good can come of it.  Tragedy is not one-faced.  It is not without some good which comes from it.  How we respond to trouble tells us a lot about ourselves.  If we cower in the corner and fear for every day, then our faith was not very big at all.  As Solomon says, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” (Pr 24:10 AV)  We are fainting because we have lost our ability to live in faith and hope.  This faith and hope come not from all the bad news but must come from a good report.  As believers, we have much to report.

For example, the most important of all good reports is the gospel itself.  There is security in death.  Having our sins forgiven and covered in the blood of Christ removes the curse of sin and death.  Paul asks this very question and gives glorious hope.  “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Co 15:55-57 AV)  As we mentioned yesterday, we all have a 100% chance of dying.  It is inevitable.  Whether by a virus, a disease, and accident, or simply old age, we will all die.  This is not a defeat.  That is if we are saved.  It is a victory!  Another glorious good report is God’s faithfulness.  “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Heb 13:5 AV)  If we know Christ as our Savior, He is always by our side, virus or not.  We can also have the good report that God has a plan for it all.  This tribulation is not random.  It is all a part of what the LORD desired for mankind and that is, to be drawn to Him, changed into the likeness of Christ.  “The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.” (Ps 138:8 AV)

So, believer, how are you going to react?  Are you going to sap the life out of everyone you meet by rehashing all the bad news?  Or, are you going to do what the LORD would have you to do and be that ray of hope the world desperately needs?  What kind of report are you going to give?  One that takes away every last ray of sunshine?  Or, are you going to help the world see that trouble or no, God has not abandoned them and all they have to do is turn to Him?  The choice is yours.