Make The World A Better Place
A few weeks ago my 7-year-old grandson was sick and had to miss a couple of days of school. By the time day two rolled around he was beginning to feel a little better and decided he needed a “to do” list. His mom took a picture of the list and sent it to me via text message. Among the many things he wanted to accomplish that day were playing with Legos, having a snack, playing with Matchbox cars, eating lunch, watching a movie and helping Mommy fix dinner. I smiled as I read it. When I reached the bottom of the list though, I was taken aback by what he had written and illustrated.
This last item was printedmuch larger than the rest of the list. He had a huge box drawn around it to frame it to emphasize its importance. Inside the box he had drawn a stick person and a sun, with the inscription “make the world a better place.” I am not going to lie. When I saw the drawing and read those words, the tears flowed. A gamut of thoughts and emotions raced through my mind and body. Where did he get such a profound thought? How did he know that the sum of his day’s activities should reflect this very idea? And why should I have to be reminded by a 7-year-old of what my goal should be each and every day? As I became submerged in these thoughts and emotions, I was truly humbled.
Being in the midst of the Advent season and as I continue to reflect upon these words—“make the world a better place”— my thoughts center on the Incarnation. Isn’t this precisely why Jesus took on human flesh, to make the world a better place? He did this by His example of how we should all live, and He gave His life on the cross to give us the gift of eternal salvation. Indeed, the gift of the Incarnation trulymakes our world a better place.
But Jesus didn’t just come that first Christmas and then leave us when He died. He is still here with us – every minute of every day. He inspired us with the legacy of His life here on earth and the promise to be with us always as He guides us, through the Holy Spirit, to carry on the work He started.
Seems like a very simple thought—“to make the world a better place”—but yet not so easy to act upon. It takes a conscious effort. I know if I were to be honest, I don’t specifically think to put that on my “to do” list every day, and unfortunately when I do, I don’t highlight it as my grandson did, making it the most important thing on the list, the sum of my day’s activities. Jesus showed us exactly how to do this by His example, as He lived a life of humility, poverty and love. Isn’t this the most important thing we should all try to accomplish each day?
As we approach the Christmas season in anticipation of the celebration of the Incarnation, let us challenge ourselves to commit to making a daily list of how we might imitate Jesus through the characteristics of the Incarnation—humility, poverty and love. If we could even begin toaccomplish each one of those each day, I am certain we could help to make the world a better place.
While I cannot say for sure where my grandson got this notion that the sum of his day’s activities should reflect making the world a better place, it would seem logical that he has learned from others, whether that be by word/instruction or by example. This is exactly what Jesus wants us to do. He wants us to be His face in the world, to imitate His example, to pass on His legacy. If a 7-year-old can grasp this concept, then surely we can humbly do the same.
Brenda Hopf is a member of Divine Mercy Parish in Dubois County and also contributes to the “Sharing the Load” column published in The Message.
