My Thoughts on Now

Photo by Randy Tarampi on Unsplash

What is going on in the world right now is a result of people letting their emotions run wild and the media fueling the fire, I think.

A friend asked me to share my thoughts on the current state of things. It’s nice to have friends who are interested enough to ask. Frankly, I think we could all do a little more asking.

I’m not going to elaborate on most of my thoughts, because these are just the things I think, in no particular order. That said, I am always willing to engage in lively discussion about what you think.

Thoughts are the basis of opinion so if you don’t like what I think, don’t worry. I won’t be offended.

Without further ado, a laundry list of things I think about the current state of the world.

I think. . .

• I might be right about some of these things.
• I might be wrong about some of these things.

Fear

I think. . .

• fear serves a very important purpose in our preservation.
• it’s okay to be afraid sometimes. Even the bravest of people have fear sometimes. I think even Jesus Christ felt some fear, yet he was still perfect.
• it’s important for each of us to answer honestly the question: when I am afraid, how do I respond?
• it’s important to acknowledge our fear, but to be very careful how we act when that fear hits. I think it is very easy to let fear reach irrational levels.
• when fear reaches an irrational level, we act in illogical ways. (More on this below.)
• hoarding is a fear-based activity.
• obsessing over things we cannot control is a fear-based activity.

COVID-19

I think. . .

• there is a legitimate reason to take precautions when a new sickness enters the world.
• there are far worse things out there than COVID-19. Some of them, like obesity, are so pervasive that we don’t usually stop to think about how many people die from something almost completely within our control.
• if we all exercised a little more caution when we are ill, all transmittable sicknesses would be less severe than they are. (I am going to elaborate on this below, so please keep reading.)
• the world has reacted in irrational fear. If you don’t think I’m right, look at the state of most consumables sold in grocery stores around the world.
• the news media has made fearmongering a multi-billion dollar industry.

News Media

I think. . .

• the news media is just like any other television show.
• the days of honest journalism are behind us.
• there is a BIG difference between keeping us informed and keeping us afraid. I think the news media preys on fear because it brings viewers. More viewers bring more ad dollars which mean the executives make more money. (More on this ahead.)
• the 24-hour news cycle is not good for us.
• feeding fear is a counter-productive activity.
• there are better ways to stay informed than watching the news media.
• if you like watching the news media, take it in small chunks.

Money

I think. . .

• there is a culture in the world — the United States, in particular — where people don’t see a recourse to stay home when they are ill so they go to work and go to school. That causes others to be sick.
• there are ways we can fix that culture, but they’re not easy.
• they may even be impossible.
• the world is driven by money, when it really should be driven by a desire to see the lives of all living things improve. I think if society, in general, were less focused on money, lives all over the world would improve immediately.
• if there were no greedy people in the world, there would be no need for money because no one would ever take more than they need. And, there would be enough and to spare for everyone.

Being Present

I think. . .

• being present means, whatever is going on in the moment, I embrace it 100%. I acknowledge when things are happening to me then I learn how to make them benefit me.
• I am just learning how to be present.
• being present is hard.
• being present is the opposite of being distracted.
• It is very easy to get distracted. Full disclosure: I got distracted by a Facebook post when I sat down to write these thoughts.
• being present brings a measure of peace, even when things are crazy.

This brings me to what, I believe, are some of my most important thoughts. Please don’t stop reading yet. I feel like these thoughts go much deeper than simple thoughts. I hold deep convictions that these things are true. But, you can still argue that these are just my thoughts.

Faith in Jesus Christ

I think. . .

• there will be people who stopped reading this list of thoughts right after they read that heading.
• what is going on in the world right now can be attributed to God. I think there are many people who believe that. I have a friend who stated it this way as she knelt down to pray a few days ago: God, you have my full attention.
• what is going on in the world right now is not attributable to God. I think there are many people who believe that. I have a good friend who stated it this way: new viruses and earthquakes; just pure, dumb luck.
• following Jesus Christ is a very active pursuit. I know to truly follow Him, we have to be active in the lives of other people; working toward their well-being — whatever that looks like.
• faith is not throwing caution to the wind. No amount of faith will save me if I choose to jump into an active volcano.
• faith is not the absence of fear. Faith, like courage, is what we do in the face of fear.
• true faith in Jesus Christ will bring a measure of peace regardless of circumstance, but it won’t eliminate fear. There are countless stories of those who had great faith in Jesus Christ who still feared. The great lesson we learn from them is they never gave into their fear.

What are your thoughts? Please feel free to comment below.