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I listen to the news now and wonder how we came to replace our journalists with ideologues. There is no more impartial recounting of the day’s events. Everything has context. And to be honest, most of us choose our cable news by our politics more than anything else. “If the news is going to be bad, I might as well hear it from someone who thinks/talks/acts/looks like me” is the prevailing thought. I receive many emails each day that point out the short comings of the folks in charge of our nation, state and city. What I do not receive are emails offering solutions to any of these problems. Paul writes in Philippians 2:14-16, “Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” Does this call for us to merely stand by the side and ignore the wrong? Does it allow us to live in a sheltered bubble and not try to make a difference? I think not. Paul is challenging us to work without tiring. He wants us to be examples of what is and can be right. Avoid the crooked and perverse for sure, but do it as an innocent child. Do it because it is right and not for any other reward. What kind of world would be have if we focused on coming up with Godly solutions to our biggest problems? I for one would enjoy our world so much more without the grumbling and finger-pointing that is going on now. Take it a step further as well. Be like St. Paul and labor for God. Let you labor count for the salvation of others. Work for the Lord without grumbling or complaining. I accept this challenge today and pray that I will not labor in vain.

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