The Thomas Chronicles

An acquaintance of mine asked me yesterday if there is any good news going on in the world. I rattled my brain for a bit to see if any good news dropped out, and strangely, I couldn’t think of any. Indeed, all forecasts on the immediate horizon seem to be either bad or worse.

The more optimistic predictions by people with, no doubt, more sunny dispositions that myself attempt to allay fears by pointing out that we haven’t yet seen a precipitous fall and that although our economy is slowing down, there are indications that we are seeing some leveling off.

That, however, isn’t optimistically suggesting that these fears are unfounded and are part of hysterical “fear-mongering”. They aren’t saying that we are hitting a dry patch and we’ll soon return to the sunny uplands, ascending to infinity and beyond. Even their optimism acknowledges the fact that we’re riding a downward incline.

So, why this bleak outlook of the world? We’re seeing a confluence of many different factors all happening at the same time, and the fear is that a synergy would occur between them and produce a catastrophe the likes of which we’ve never seen. The factors are to multitudinous to be enumerated here but they are there– all over, in fact– if you want to search them.

This brings me to the old question: Is the cup half full or half empty?

I think that to dodge the question and say that there’s a whole pitcher of lemonade somewhere on the kitchen counter would be to ignore the facts.

If one is to focus strictly on this proverbial cup, is it half empty or half full? Firstly, we have to acknowledge that a) there is a cup; it exists and b) that there is water in it. Secondly, one must acknowledge the fact that there is a finite supply of water.

The difference between a man seeing the cup as half full or half empty is the difference of whether or not he is grateful for what is, in fact, there. He cannot close his eyes and say that the cup is actually full when it is not; he cannot play make-believe since reality is incapable of playing along.

No, the key is gratitude; being thankful for what was given. Gratitude sees the cup as half full; ingratitude see the cup and say that what’s there is not nearly enough.

Well, I try to see things as half full and savor all the many blessings I’ve received. Being drenched in ill tidings around the world, to see things as half full is a contrary action for me and I’m sure it is true for most people as well. We cannot give in to despair nor give in to our fears. But we cannot shirk away from what we see transpiring either.

So, I have a question for people reading these words.

Have you encountered genuine pieces of good news out there for our future?

For myself, the best news I can think of is the certain and absolute knowledge that my Lord Jesus Christ will return, that despite how things appear now, I know we’re winning and I know we’ll win. More souls will be saved in this time than the rest of time combined.

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