A question we frequently hear when someone is questioning the validity/actuality of God is, “If God loves us so much, why does He allow so many bad things to happen?”  The better question to ask is, “Because God loves us so much, why do WE continually do bad things to hurt Him and others?”  Throughout our day, each of us encounters one or more acts we know is not the right thing to do, yet we charge out and do it anyway.  Is that not the real reason why the world is in such a mess now?

Just think for a moment.  Is love not the greatest virtue?  Is being in complete love with someone not the greatest feeling in the world?  Isn’t being completely loved by someone the greatest feeling in the world as well?  Would one not give all he/she has to find that perfect mate to share that perfect love for all eternity with?  Perfect love is so wonderful, would we not want to spend our lives in total perfect love?

We spend so much time looking for that perfect mate to give and share that perfect love life with.  What about our God who not only loves us infinitely, but IS LOVE?  If one does something that hurts one’s spouse, there is an immediate imbalance felt in one’s life and the relationship.  One may not be able to quite put a finger on the cause, but that imbalance is real and felt.  There is an urgency to find and repair the source of that loss of balance as soon as possible.

Sinning against God is not that dissimilar from sinning against a spouse.  After the deed done, that out of balance feeling festers.  But how much do we take heed of that loss of balance and act to make things right with our loving Father?  We forget He is here.  We forget that He knows all that we do.  There is a fear of losing the favor of one’s spouse, or even losing the spouse altogether.  In the world, we do not seem to have that same fear with God.  “He’s stuck with us.”  “I do not fear God.  I can do and say anything I want.”  What if we took the same attitude in our marriages?  Well, I guess that is why we have an over 50% divorce rate now.

Of all the sins I commit, they fall into two categories, both bad:  1. Things I know and are aware are bad before I do them, and 2. Things that I once recognized as being bad but have been habitually done over the years and have been assimilated into my “normal” daily walk with life.  Not saying this last makes the thing done any less egregious, and it probably makes the sin even worse.  Even so, whether aware or not, my life has become and stays out of balance unless I finally come to my senses, repent and change my life toward God.

So, no wonder the world is in such a mess.  I am a mess.  I purposely and willfully act against and away from God’s love in my life.  Here is my challenge to me, as well as to you.  Let’s clean up our own personal messes.  The world changes one person at a time.  God so loves us and the world.  Why don’t we behave that way!?  Today, when we consider an act one’s conscience warns as contrary to God’s teaching, willfully don’t do it.  If we accomplish this feat at least once a day, we build up a virtue, turning away from the world/Devil and toward God.  Let’s change the world!  Amen.