What we do in any moment changes the future. Even little things that we don’t think are all that significant may well be the catalyst for some great change. I was recently watching a program on the History Channel called, “100 Gadgets the Changed the World.” Perhaps some of you saw it as well, but it was amazing to think how some small irritation or need or idea triggered a spark of genius and something was created that changed the course of history.
Unfortunately for me, I did not get to see the whole program, so I do not know which items were most influential, but a couple of them really caught my attention. The transistor radio is credited with giving rise to Rock N Roll. According to the show, adults tightly controlled what was broadcast until the invention of the transistor radio because radios were expensive, there was generally one per household, and the adults had control over what was selected. With the invention of the transistor radio, young people could have their own sets and listen to other things, like the music that eventually became Rock N Roll. Now, for good or not, Rock N Roll became a juggernaut of power in terms of fashion, celebrity, selling power, and even politics. Sometimes the influence has been great, sometimes it has been evil, but the power and influence of the music industry cannot be denied and it all that power and influence is a result of the invention of the transistor radio. Pretty amazing to consider.
Another gadget that has changed the world is, of course, the cell phone. What in the world did we do without them? While I have several answers to that question, for instance, actually interacted with other people face to face, the cell phone is here to stay and continues to evolve into an ever more complicated and powerful device. They do great good in the world, helping find lost people, calling help in case of an accident, etc. But they also do some harm, influencing car accidents when people text or talk while driving, interrupting every occasion. Love them or hate them, cell phones have changed things.
But it doesn’t have to be a gadget or invention to change things. It can be how people treat each other. Have you seen the bank ads on television that promote being nice to people? They begin with someone doing some small nice thing, like holding a door or picking up something someone dropped or helping with a package. Then it goes backwards to show all the nice things that were done that led each successive person to do something nice. The concept is that doing nice things helps perpetuate other people doing nice things. Of course, they’re using that idea to promote their bank, implying that the way they treat their customers actually makes the world better. Who knows? Maybe it does.
Have you ever noticed how different your attitude is if something pleasant happens unexpectedly? A cashier tells you how great you look or someone lets you in in traffic or a great parking spot opens just as you arrive on a rainy day... You get a little lift, and somehow your mood seems brighter. You feel like being nice to people, even strangers, just because you’re a little happier.
Of course, the converse is true, too. If someone cuts you off in traffic, or the checkout line just doesn’t move, or your coworker snaps at you for no apparent reason, your day seems a little darker and your mood a little blacker. You don’t feel so much like being nice to others. You might become part of the problem, being short with the guy who pumps your gas, rudely throwing the coffee money at the convenience store cashier, driving aggressively. Then your actions upset others as you were upset, and they perpetuate the cycle. The world gets a little sadder, angrier, and bad things, like accidents, can be the eventual result.
As Christians, we are called to be part of making the world better by doing good to others, no matter what is done to us. That’s part of what today’s New Testament passage is about. It says we are to “be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” When we live according to these words, the legacy we leave is one of good, not only earthly good that we would be proud of but also eternal good that brings glory to God. Even if it’s just for a moment in someone’s day, being sympathetic, loving, compassionate, and humble can make a lasting difference because it can change how that person acts after your encounter.
The converse is true, as well. That why we are told, “9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult.” When we do unto others as may well have been done to us instead of treating others as we’d like to be treated, we continue a cycle of harm. But we are called to break cycles of harm and hate. Our passage continues, “On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.” We are blessed when we bless others, whether or not they respond in a way that shows us a blessing, because we help make the world a better place in general. Each moment in time leads to the next moment, each word we say or action we take precipitates other words and other actions. Each moment today becomes part of tomorrow’s history.
That’s true in the church, as well. By now you’ve likely read your newsletter (if not, please pick it up from the hallway!) and have read the letter from Kevin and April, the story of the new preacher on the bus, and also the articles from John and Jerry pointing out that we are in tough shape financially. But did you realize that our ability to continue to be the church we are is the result of the little decisions people in the past made? Those who went before us created a warm and welcoming church family that makes people feel good here. They gave sacrificially and created an endowment that has allowed us to be able to keep the doors open and the lights on even in the years like the last few when we haven’t been generous or faithful enough to balance the budget. They built a beautiful sanctuary on Church Rd. and then another and finally another here, so that they and those who came after them would have a place to worship God. They created traditions that we still enjoy. They made decisions and legacies that have become our history. Those who came before us understood that “3By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; 4through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” They knew that the treasures were not only worldly treasures but also heavenly treasures. They knew that building a house of God was about an actual building, but also much, much more. They understood how to establish a church environment that makes people feel welcome and secure and like part of a family. All those things are the result of how previous church members lived out their faith. We enjoy the history they made.
What kind of history are we making? What kind of legacy are we leaving in the world? Are we making decisions that perpetuate good – keeping our tongues from evil and our lips from deceitful speech – or are we perpetuating something else by allowing our words to tear down rather than build up, to wound rather than to heal? What kind of history are we creating in this church? Are we choosing the things that bring pleasure for a moment over giving to the future of this congregation – to those nameless faceless people who might one day worship in this sanctuary – or are we making the small sacrifices needed to keep this lovely space in good shape, to plan for the future and to make sure we can put something aside for a rainy day? Are we teaching the faith to our children, studying God’s Word, and nurturing our relationship with our Creator? What kind of history are we perpetuating in our church culture? Are we making sure we continue the tradition of being welcoming by speaking to strangers at Fellowship Hour, making sure everyone has someone to sit with, talking to more than just our friends before we rush out the door?
We have inherited a rich history, but we cannot rest on our laurels and think that the good deeds of the past will carry the future for us. We are Christ’s church in this place at this time. We are the ones making tomorrow’s history. Not only inside these walls, but everywhere we go. If we want the future to be as good as the past, even better than today, then we must make sure that what we are doing is worthy of becoming history. We must seek creative and innovative solutions to problems and keep the future impact of our words and actions in mind. How we live our lives makes a difference. The “eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” If we want the Lord on our side, we’d best be on His, doing the things God would be proud to save in His scrapbook.