I
sent a birthday card to my wife one year, with the picture of a man standing on
his head. Inside the caption read: Perhaps it’s the world that’s upside
down—we’re the ones the right way up! The more I see of our declining culture,
the more it’s evident that the world is
upside down.
The retreat
from Christianity has increased the “me first” mentality and lessened the idea
of service that holds society together. Multiculturalism has resulted in a
ghetto mentality, each cultural group wanting its own space—both on the ground
and politically.
Let’s face
it. What we call “natural” is really “unnatural”; a result of severance from
our Creator. Without Him, we have no idea how to live, and simply fall back to
our base instincts. The animals become our guide!
In school,
biology taught us differences between humans and animals. One difference was
never raised: animals grow, mature and propagate by simply following their
instincts. However, humans degrade themselves if their instincts are not
controlled and disciplined.
The
conscious choice of discipline over instinct is a distinctive and ennobling
mark of humanity. Jesus exemplified this: “the Son of Man did not come to be
served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28).
Service to
our fellow humans alongside misunderstanding of our faith is—or should be—the hallmark
of Christianity as we conform to His image. This distinctive easily separates
us from the crowd that seeks its own well-being first.
