The Power of the Dark Side

Anybody that started watching the Star Wars movies (way back when) is familiar with The Dark Side of the Force. The Force is the power that binds all living things together. It has a good element and an evil element. The evil part is referred to as the Dark Side.

Recently, I've seemed to be more aware of the Dark Side. I'm not sure why, it is just that it seems to be having its affect on people that I know or that I have recently encountered.

Here are a few examples:

A teenage boy that gets prescription drugs from a friend's mom and then tries to commit suicide.

An old friend that has a past history of sexually abusing children and shows no remorse.

A young woman that has scars from cutting and burning herself.

A husband and father that is throwing away a good career because of an alcohol addiction.

And more and more, I'm hearing people talk about others with real hate in their voices and in their hearts.

I'm hearing about young families that are having marital problems and it seems that depression is becoming the socially accepted disease of the day. It really does make my heart hurt to see all of the pain that is in the world around me. You don't have to look to the evening news to see the suffering of a world far away. You only have to look around your neighborhood or workplace to see that there is real suffering...real close to where you are. It might even be that you are feeling the pain of depression or battling with anger or hatred.

You can actually watch the news 24/7 if you choose to or listen to the hate spewing nonsense by radio broadcasters like Limbaugh and others. By the time you listen to just a few minutes of the gloom and doom broadcast about the condition of the economy, the tax and spend Democrats, the don't tax but spend more Republicans, the economic stimulus package that borrows money to encourage those that have proven to be irresponsible to continue to be irresponsible--you may want to find a teenager's mom to provide you with some lethal prescription drugs so that you can take the big dirt nap too.

There is such a great need for some simple kindness in our world. I'm not talking about starting a big, organized drive to collect food and money for the needy--I'm talking about doing something nice for somebody that may not have anybody else do something nice for them today. It doesn't even have to cost you anything more than a few minutes of your time. Call somebody today that needs a phone call. Just say, "Hi, I was thinking about you." For $2 you can buy a card and mail it to make somebody's day. Invite somebody over for a cup of coffee or tea.

I don't have to tell you guys how to be nice. But I do feel like I need to remind us (John included) to be nice.

The Bible says that the light dispels the darkness. We have to bring light to an increasingly dark world. The Bible says that Jesus is the Light of the world. If your light has grown dim, I want to encourage you to recharge by spending some time with God. Then go out and spread some love and some Light in your world. Do it today. Brag on yourself a bit and comment about something simple that you did to make the world a little bit brighter.

Don't give in to the Dark Side.

John