Christmas
and the dawn of a new year inspire many reflections and philosophies about the
meaning of life and what is truly important.
As part of his Christmas message, my
favorite talk show host noted that happiness and hope are not to be found in
the news, politics or government.
Most news focuses on accidents, fires,
murders, sickness, poverty and all unpleasant aspects of life.
The government and its minions busy themselves
trying to regulate, educate and adjudicate all aspects of the problems of
humanity.
Politicians pass laws and postulate about
more laws and regulations as they try to fix all the world’s problems or what
they perceive to be problems. They
continue to make promises and speculate about how they will run the government so
that it can make the world better. All
of this just makes everything and everybody more miserable.
Real happiness comes from God and realizing
that the universe that God created has provided us with all the resources we
need for living productive, creative, meaningful lives.
I know lots of folks don’t believe in God. That’s
okay. My understanding and experience
have taught me that God believes in everything and everybody that God has
created even when we don’t believe in or understand what God is and what God
has created in us and for us.
A philosopher friend suggests that we
consider what our priorities and life-focus would be if we knew we only had a
year to live. What would we find
important if we found ourselves in those kinds of circumstances?
What would happen if we stepped aside from
the news, the speculations of politicians and the prattling of advertising and
social media to lift ourselves up to the best that is within us?
What would our lives be like if we lived in
a way that reflected the kind of true joy and understanding that God has
created as opposed to what the government, the news or social media tell us it
ought to be?
My
hope and prayer for all of us in this Christmas season and throughout the year
is that we rise above the news, the government and politics to think for
ourselves about true happiness, where it comes from, what it means and what we
can do to apply true joy and love in our everyday lives.
