The Weight of Changing the World

Change the world. That seemed to be the slogan of my childhood. Growing up, I recall the constant assertion that the world was in crisis and my generation was destined to save it. Changing the world or living with purpose is also the mantra of this age. The problem is a crisis is always on the menu. Modern technology allows us to learn of natural and tragic disasters only seconds after they occur. Never before have we been able to witness all that is wrong in our with such high definition and at an alarming frequency. Being saturated daily with catastrophes can have a numbing effect. When we feel helpless, we tend to make excuses to justify our inability to actually bring any meaningful change to the world. The problem with our excuses is that they are likely to be true. We are physically, emotionally, and spiritually incapable of changing the world. Fortunately, if you are a Christian, you are not by yourself. You have the Spirit of Almighty God living inside you. So run off and join the fool's parade of trying to solve the problem in an earthly way. Instead, focus on the God in whom we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). I've pulled four thoughts from the book of Nehemiah and other scriptures on how believers can rightly live considering the pressure to change the world.  

Comprehend the Problem 

In the opening verses of the Nehemiah, we see the cupbearer to the King of Persia receiving word that fire and ash were the fruit of the effort to rebuild Jerusalem. Political sabotage and the lack of any natural protection made Jerusalem a vulnerable and weak city. Nehemiah understood the problem before him. The walls needed to be rebuilt for God's people to thrive. Passivity is not intrinsically a virtue. Ignoring a problem will not always make it go away. Admitting the reality and wretchedness of our sin and the world's fallen state is essential to enact righteous change. 

Care about the Problem

For Nehemiah, there were hundreds of miles separating him from the problem. Upon hearing of the calamity occurring in Jerusalem, Nehemiah was likely tempted to use our excuses. "The problem is too big." "I am too small." "I have no direct way to bring about any change." He needed more resources and natural authority. What bridged the gap of Nehemiah's inability and the real change that unfolded in the rest of the story?

Simply put, Nehemiah cared. He allowed his heart to be bothered by the problem. It is easy to let passivity overtake your mind and numb your heart. This numbness may soon lead to hardening if not brought under God's changing sanctifying power. We must strive in our souls to care about what God cares about. Doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly find their beginning with soft hearts, informed by God's word and fueled by His Spirit.

Calibrate your Perspective

Nehemiah didn't attempt to solve the problem through protesting, rioting, or taking to social media. Caring caused him to recalibrate his lifestyle and priorities to solve the problem. Again, this didn't lead to punching right, writing strongly worded (or passive-aggressive) tweets, or even talking about it ad nauseam to anyone and everyone who he encountered. Instead, he recognized and relied on the power and reality of God. Understanding the supreme power and authority of God is the beginning of humility. As believers in this all-powerful God, we must realize our inability to change the world ourselves. This realization is the first step to actually being productive in the change. God can radically enact any change he desires whenever he chooses to. Nehemiah understood this perspective and pursued three things.

1). He mourned and wept 

Mourning shows a deep emotional connection with something broken from how it is supposed to be. Jesus, like Nehemiah, was moved with sorrow over the state of Jerusalem (Luke 13:34).  

2). He fasted 

Fasting is the spiritual discipline of denying oneself food for some time to seek God more profoundly and intimately. When the Bible speaks of fasting, it refers to food. However, principally, it is denying oneself a specific right or privilege to pursue God in its place. Fasting doesn't win God's favor (salvation by grace). Instead, it is the mark of caring more about the desires of God than the thing you are giving up. 

3.) He prayed continually 

Caring led Nehemiah to pray. Indeed, we can't single-handedly change the world, but we can be moved to prayer. We may not possess the means or method to evoke change in our community, but we serve the God who can. Caring about what he cares about, loving what he loves, will inevitably draw us into a place of peace and purpose. We should remember that the object of our faith is strong and completely capable. God is not too small. To Him, the problem is more than manageable.

Change the World

 Petty rioting and sloganeering are the world's methods of changing the world, and they are genuinely laughable in the scheme of eternity. God alone sits on the His throne. Righteous and true are his judgments and decrees. Any world-changing will come by Him and through His marvelous will. The amazing truth is that God chooses to use us in the process. Changing the world comes through us being humble and submissive vessels through which He can pour His power and might. 

God used Nehemiah mightily to rebuild and restore Jerusalem. God is moving. He knows the world's condition and has a plan in his providence to change it in his timing for his glory. Do not be burdened by the pressure to change the world. Instead, set your affections and mind on the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.