What’s Wrong with the World
Years ago a newspaper editor asked his daily readers:
“What’s wrong with the world?”To that editorial inquiry G. K. Chesterton (1874 – 1936) responded with the following:
Dear Sir,
In regard to your question, “what’s wrong with the world” I AM.
Yours truly,
G.K. Chesterton
That is a good reminder for us. We are the problem. The problem with the world begins with me.
Our parents are not the problem.
Our past is not the problem.
Drugs are not the problem.
Alcohol is not the problem.
Illiteracy is not the problem.
Poverty is not the problem.
Your spouse is not the problem.
The media is not the problem.
We are the problem.
I am the problem. You are the problem. We are the problem.
My greatest problem is me. It is not my spouse or my kids or my church or my boss or my finances. I am my greatest problem.
Since I am the problem, what is the solution?
God is the solution. The Gospel is not the solution. The plan of salvation is not the solution. The Bible is not the solution. The church is not the solution. God is the solution. That is why Paul said this in Romans 5:16,
Our parents are not the problem.
Our past is not the problem.
Drugs are not the problem.
Alcohol is not the problem.
Illiteracy is not the problem.
Poverty is not the problem.
Your spouse is not the problem.
The media is not the problem.
We are the problem.
I am the problem. You are the problem. We are the problem.
My greatest problem is me. It is not my spouse or my kids or my church or my boss or my finances. I am my greatest problem.
Since I am the problem, what is the solution?
God is the solution. The Gospel is not the solution. The plan of salvation is not the solution. The Bible is not the solution. The church is not the solution. God is the solution. That is why Paul said this in Romans 5:16,
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Romans 5:11
Notice his rejoicing is in God—not God’s plan or God’s purpose or God’s program or God’s word. The rejoicing is in God.
And why do we rejoice in God? We rejoice in God because He came to us in the flesh. He lived the only perfect life among us. He died in our place to pay the punishment for our sins. And He came back to life to save us, to set us free and to give us power of sin, death and the devil.
Now back to the original question: what’s wrong with the world?
Chesterton nailed it when he replied, “I am.”
Yet thanks to God, the Lord Jesus Christ is the solution.
1 comment:
After posting my blog I realized one of my paragraph's may be a bit misleading. The paragraph that says "God is the solution. The Gospel is not the solution..." I should have added "the Gospel, the plan of salvation, the Bible are good and much needed because they point us to God--who is the solution." I trust that makes sense. I did not want anyone to think those things are not important. I wanted us to focus on what really matters, and what really matters is God. Sometimes we exalt His plan and His word above Him, and we should not.
Aren't you thankful God loves people?
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