“Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race. Everyone lies to their neighbor; they flatter with their lips but harbor deception in their hearts. May the Lord silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue — those who say, ‘By our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us — who is lord over us?’” — Psalm 12:1-4
It’s easy to become discouraged when we look around at the world we live in. Sometimes it feels like there aren’t any good people left. When we look out the window or watch the news, we see what’s going on around us and it’s really hard. But if we think there’s no one good around us, we’ll be less motivated to do good ourselves, thinking we’ll be alone. This is a dangerous mindset to have.
The world needs strong leaders. It just takes one person who is willing to be bold and step out; others will take notice. The more people we have with a like mind and a willingness to do good, the greater our confidence will become and the more motivated we will be. There’s power in a group of people’s words and actions. There’s power in knowing we’re not alone.
Social media is a great tool in this way because those who are willing to step out and be vocal about doing good are able to link arms with others of the same mind all over the world. When many people band together to do the work of Christ, a huge impact can be made. When your followers on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter take notice and then spread word to their followers and their friends’ followers, the truth of Christ can spread rapidly.
I’m always trying to encourage people to be the best version of themselves. The introspective part of that is what makes people grow. Realizing what you can and can’t do and what you need to let go of and trust God with is an important revelation. Having said that, you can’t sell yourself short. It’s hard to do the right thing in every situation. Being a Christian takes work.
Our world makes it seem like being a Christian is no fun and there are a lot of things you can’t do because of your faith. But the devil is waiting for us; he’s prowling around like a lion to kill, steal and destroy (1 Peter 5:8). Faith in Jesus helps us see straight and keep perspective on what really brings us joy and fulfillment. We have been blessed with the truth and with that comes the responsibility to lead and love others. Trials produce character, and character helps guide our decisions. When we adopt the character of Christ, we are enabled by His Spirit to do good things for Him.
— C.J. Miles, Toronto Raptors forward
C.J. Miles was a 2nd round pick by the Utah Jazz in 2005. He is a regular contributor to The Increase, providing monthly articles and opinions.
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