Fiddling as the world burns

Fiddling as the world burns

There are days that can feel like we are Caesar fiddling while Rome burned. The overwhelming feeling that there is nothing we can do about the problems we see. The real answer is of course you can. True you might not be able to change the course of a flood, or a hurricane. You might not be able to feed every hungry child in the world. You might not even be able to change the mind of one person with whom you disagree. But you can reach out.

Natural disasters have happened since the dawn of history, and so have those who have stepped up to help. Step up. Hunger has been an issue for most countries literally from their beginning, join the food programs in your area. And as for changing a mind, well people who will not listen may never hear what you have to say. So do your best to clearly live out what you believe honestly before them. A picture is worth a 1000 words, a life lived honestly must be worth vastly more than that. 

It is easy to become overwhelmed when we look at the entirety of the problems we face, but if we simply touch the problem where we are we can make a difference. There is a saying that many hands make light work. Many fail to join the effort not because they have no compassion but are reacting to a sense of futility. 

A smile on a child’s face can change your day, a warm handshake can lift a spirit, and a moment of care or respect can motivate a civil response. Each action we choose to make can indeed affect the problems we see and can improve the lives of those around us. It is simply a matter of taking the time to include the people around us and their good in our decisions, or actions. 

So next time you feel overwhelmed by the issues you see, don’t fiddle as the world burns, smile a little more, shake a hand, and simply do what you can. It might not seem like much, but it can truly be much more than we might ever understand.

Blessings!