I’ve spotted a common theme among the various cultural voices demanding our attention. It seems everybody has their own take on what’s wrong with the world today and what the solution is.
Here is a recap of some of those voices. The problem is capitalism, which concentrates wealth and leaves people behind. The solution is socialism. The problem is racism. The solutions are reparations and denouncement of privilege. The problem is politics. The solution is to vote for the other party. The problem is injustice. The solution is to supplant equal opportunity with equal outcome. The problem is oppression. The solutions are reimagining laws, law enforcement, social welfare, healthcare, corporations, and immigration.
The common theme is the call for other people to change their minds. To denounce others is far easier than the bitter task of self-examination. With a beam in your eye, you’ll never see the problem or the solution. G.K. Chesterton agrees. He once responded to The Times in his typical paradoxical wit. “Dear Sirs,” he wrote, “Regarding your article ‘What’s Wrong with the World?’ – I am.”
The Biblical word for mind change is “repent.” In Jesus’ day, a tower fell and killed 18 people. To those who presumed the victims were the problem and deserved their fate Jesus said, “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:5). Jesus helped them see the pressing issue – repentance is personal. It starts with me.
When it does, it means I accept responsibility for my misdeeds and do my part to restore what is broken, rather than goading others. It means the greatest problem is neither economics, politics, nor social issues, but my personal moral responsibility before God. For the believer, it means participating in the divine enterprise, “that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations” (Luke 24:47).
Thank God for the gift of forgiveness accessed by faith. The good news is that the repentant life is possible. By God’s grace solving the world’s problems can happen, starting with me.