the future

Do you think humans can really solve the many problems that steal our peace and security and threaten our future? Any real cure has to reach the root causes of our troubles, not just ease the symptoms for a while.

Take one example. A patient, let’s call him Mark, became sick and later died. Why did he die? The doctor at the hospital that received Mark shortly before his death wrote that when his first symptoms appeared, no one tried to find the real cause. Those who treated him earlier just gave him medicine to help him ‘feel a bit better!

Many people treat the world’s problems in a similar way. Governments fight crime by passing new laws, putting up security cameras, and adding more police. These efforts may limit crime to some degree, but they don’t change the causes that lie deeper. A person’s conduct usually springs from their thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and desires.

Carlos lives in a South American country where the economy is collapsing. He says, “We once lived normal lives. We didn’t fear being robbed at gunpoint. Now there’s no peaceful town or village anywhere. The failing economy has exposed what many people are really like: greedy and without respect for other people’s lives or property.”

Another man, whom we’ll call Omar, fled a war in the Middle East and later began to study the Bible. He explains, “Many young men from my home city were pushed by their families and by the political-religious system to join the war and be seen as heroes. Those on the opposite side were told exactly the same thing. All of this helped me see how sad it is to put faith in human rulers.”

An ancient book of wisdom says,

“And Jehovah began to smell a pleasing aroma. So Jehovah said in his heart, “Never again will I curse the ground on man’s account, because the inclination of the heart of man is bad from his youth up; and never again will I strike down every living thing as I have done” (Genesis 8:21)

“The heart is more treacherous than anything else and is desperate. Who can know it?” ,(Jeremiah 17:9)

“For out of the heart come wicked reasonings, murders, adulteries, sexual immorality, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies.” , (Matthew 15:19)

Humans haven’t found a cure for the harmful traits that sit deep inside us. These traits even seem to be getting worse, which you can see in the problems discussed earlier.

“But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.” , (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

This is happening even though we now have huge amounts of information and a level of communication past generations never knew. So why can’t we make the world peaceful and secure? Are we expecting more from ourselves than we can give? Are we trying to do something that’s impossible?

ARE WE ATTEMPTING THE IMPOSSIBLE?

Even if, by some miracle, we could remove all harmful traits from people, we’d still fail to make the world completely safe and secure. Our own limits would stop us.

However, the Bible states a simple truth –

“I well know, O Jehovah, that man’s way does not belong to him. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.” , (Jeremiah 10:23)

We weren’t created to govern ourselves. In the same way that we weren’t made to live under water or in outer space, we weren’t made to rule over one another.

Think about how people react when others, who are no better than they are, tell them how to live or what morals to accept. Many don’t like being told what they must think about abortion, capital punishment, or how to discipline their children. Arguments over such issues divide people everywhere. So, even if it feels humbling, what the Bible says makes sense. We lack both the ability and the moral right to rule over other humans. So where can we find real help?

The most reasonable answer is to turn to our Creator. He made us, so he understands us. He hasn’t forgotten about us, as some claim. His concern is clear in the wisdom found in the Bible. When we understand that book, we also understand ourselves better. We gain a clearer view of human history and why it’s so full of tragedy and failure. Then we can see why a German philosopher once wrote, “Peoples and governments never have learnt anything from history or acted on principles deduced from it.”

BIBLE WISDOM PROTECTS US!

A wise man once said,

“All the same, wisdom is proved righteous by all its children” (Luke 7:35)

One example of that wisdom is found here.

“For your own sakes, quit trusting in mere man, who is only the breath in his nostrils. Why should he be esteemed?” ,(Isaiah 2:22)

Advice like that protects us from false hopes and from expecting too much from human leaders. Hugh lives in a North American city with high levels of violence. He says, “One politician after another promises to make things better, but they can’t. Their failures keep reminding me of what Bible wisdom says.”

Carlos, mentioned earlier, writes, “Each day convinces me more that humans can’t govern well. Trusting in your bank account or some pension scheme doesn’t guarantee a good retirement. I’ve watched people suffer bitter disappointment over this.”

The Bible does more than protect us from false hopes. It also gives us solid reasons to look to the future with confidence.

KEY POINT

The wisdom in the Bible helps us understand why mankind keeps failing and why human history is so full of sadness and loss.