What the World Needs Now

From somewhere in the old gray matter a song from the '60's surfaced and soon I found myself singing it like it was yesterday.  "What the world needs now is love sweet love, that's the only thing that there's just too little of..."  went the lyrics.  But, since it was Christmas Day the Words of the angel who found the shepherds in the the field watching over their sheep came to mind as well.  As they departed they said, "...peace, good will among men."  (Luke 2:14)  Here is another thing, or two, that there is just too little of....peace and good will.     

Certainly, this speaks of a gift which needs to be given in this day when contentious spirits seem to prevail.  How different our political environment, our local communities, and our homes would be if we regarded one another as someone worthy of the kindness that goes with peace and the love that goes with good will.  How we treat one another and speak of one another says much about what is in our hearts.   

Our heart is the spring from which flows all those attitudes and spirits which are reflected in our outer life.  To listen to so much of the negative verbage which is out there is to realize that there is a shortage of peace and good will in our world and in our hearts.  No one can do anything about that shortage in us except us.  It is indeed what the world around us needs and we are the only ones who can give it in the places where God has put us.