Bad News - Good News

I had to turn off the news the other night. Being an ‘up’ person I just had enough bad news for one day. Seems like BAD was all they had to tell us. My wife and I, just like most of you, have the same routine when it comes to keeping up with what is going on in our neighbourhood, city, province, country and the world. At six most evenings we turn on the news. Sometimes it’s interesting.  Sometimes not so much. Some nights are better than others. If they don’t have enough bad news to fill the whole hour, they fill the time with general interest segments. At some of those things, we just shake our heads.
I remember one night, the lead story was, “What will all the ice wine farmers do if they don’t get a good freeze soon?” Really. Earth shattering, not really. But it’s better than the array of bad news. It seems like more and more, we hear about wars and rumours of wars. It’s about people dying needlessly, and troubles everywhere. You know some other bad news, boys spray painting walls, a house burns down, someone was bit by a stray dog. Again not on the scale of the Exxon Valdez disaster but each of these events are significant to someone somewhere and no less bad news.
We are living our lives surrounded by news that we view as bad. I even checked a supposed Good News Radio station and they had bad news as well.  Where can we get a break from all the bad news? Read the paper most mornings and there it is again. Check the scores of some games and you hear about an injury etc. Bad news.
As I was sitting staring at the blank screen, something struck me. Maybe we, who love God and are called to make disciples, need to bring Good News to our world. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news to those people, families, countries, nations and the world. After all, doesn’t your bible read about the good news from the angels to the shepherds, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” And what did Jesus bring in that good news but peace and love, grace and forgiveness. All the good news from Jesus puts a smile on our face and a realization in our hearts that we can bear all the bad news because of the good news that comes in God’s Son.
A long time ago someone published a wonderful New Testament for everyday people, like you and me. It was a amazing translation that spoke so well. When it came out in 1966, it was called, Good News for Modern Man.
Just thinking to myself, maybe here right now in 2012, we need to turn off the news broadcast once and a while and take a few minutes each night and read about some Good News. What do you think?
Something to think about
RB