Whatever is Noble - Philippians 4:8

Dear Father,

It is so easy in our society to dwell on what is wrong with the world. What is wrong with the world irritates us, scares us and even amuses us. Focusing on what is wrong leads to cynicism, and, unfortunately it is popular to play the cynic. But cynicism denies your power. It assumes that there is nothing that can be done about what is wrong with the world. The worst and ugliest form of cynicism, and I confess I have walked this line, is Christian cynicism which is founded on a view that this world is so broken that there is no hope for it and therefore we just wait for the end when we'll all go to heaven.

But I do not believe that is what you intend for us. Yes the world is fallen and needs redeeming. But it is still your creation and the beauty of your creation is still there, even though corrupted. Though corrupted, there is still your beauty in nature. And there is still your beauty in humankind.

What I believe you are telling us through your servant Paul, is that we should not dwell on what is broken, rather we should look for and dwell on the beauty of your creation that still shines through the corruption. We see the light of your beauty shine through nature and we see it shine through our fellow man, and that we should focus on those rays of light that shine through the storm clouds of the fallen world, rather than focusing on the looming clouds. It is not a matter of abandoning all reality, rather it is a matter of focus and thankfullness for the beauty that is.

Father, I pray for these children and the ones raising them that you keep them from cynicism and from drifting into developing a cynical heart. Give them wisdom to recognize the warning signs of cynicism and the dangers of becoming absorbed in that thought pattern. Instead, open their eyes to the things, places, people and times that radiate the beauty of your perfect creation and give them a desire to look for that beauty, to dwell on it, to admire it and to praise you and thank you because of it. May they particularly search for that beauty in individuals around them, to see the rays of light shining out of fallen, imperfect human beings and to recognize that in each of those individuals, the spark of your original intent for mankind exists and will show itself.

Amen