As we move into 2019, I am reminded of all the news stories I read this past year. Well, obviously I cannot literally remember all of the individual stories, but what I remember is the general tenor of the news: decidedly negative. If I read another story about how Democrats are looking to impeach Donald Trump, how Republicans are blaming liberals for blocking "the wall," how bad the economy is, how horrible the North Koreans are, how some police officer assaulted an "innocent" citizen, or how many celebrities died in 2018, then I may implode under the weight of clinical pessimism! Come on, world! Are things really all that bad!
I don't think they are. Sure, there are many unfortunate, despicable, and evil things that happen every day around the world. Even so, where are the stories of heroic public servants who save lives every day? Where are the accounts of individual acts of self-sacrificial charity? Where are the biographies on mothers, teachers, and blue-collar laborers who give so much of themselves to their work and to others? Where are the exposés, not detailing the latest act of financial dishonesty on Wall Street, but the latest instance of love? In other words, where is the balance in reporting the news?
At this point, someone may respond that I'm trying to bury my head in the sand and avoid the lamentable realities of our world. This isn't it at all! Rather, I'm simply trying to do what Paul encouraged in Philippians 4:8. He said, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things" (NIV). Do you really want to mire yourself in the muck of negativism? Folks, I don't want to live in a bubble, but I don't want to launch an all out assault on decency and joy either.
So, won't you join me this year in searching out the good? Let's look for instances where the loveliness of God and nobility of man are put on display, and let's consider these! Join me in a Happy News Year!