“So what’s your course about?”, asked the Christian leader.

“Oh, it’s about the basics of the Christian faith!”, came the reply.

“So it’s about how you care for the poor? And, the sick and those suffering with AIDS? And those rejected by the privileged in this world?”, the Christian leader followed up.

“No, no!”, came the reply. “Not those, just the basics!”

How could issues of poverty and justice be left out of “the basics” if they are so deeply enshrined in the Bible’s pages?

I’m told there are 2,100 mentions of poverty in the Bible.

I believe our Christian faith must involve us in good works for the poor and rejected. And our good works must be done in a way that people will see God at work. Finally we must be confident enough in Jesus that we’re prepared to talk about belief and faith, when we’re asked.

How might that unfold in the “real world”?

It’s a conversation you might like to have in your small group. Find out about the issue. Explore the Scriptures. Read, react, agree or disagree. As a group, explore and discover things!

Apart from the headlines, I happened to read this today.

“The devil is called in Scripture the prince of this world, for he has great power in it because he governs many of its rules and principles. He is the father of all lies and deceptions, which he spreads to separate us from God and prevent our return to happiness. Now there are many things in the world that pass as great, honourable, and most desirable, but they are so far from being so that the true greatness and honour of our nature consists in not desiring them. To abound in wealth; have fine houses, good food, and rich clothes; have titles of dignity and power; command respect, honour, and admiration of others; overcome our enemies and subdue all who oppose us; these are the great, honourable, and desirable things to which the spirit of the world turns the eyes of all people.

Many Christians today are afraid of standing still and not engage in the pursuit of these things, lest the world and worldly Christians take him or her for a fool. The history of the gospel is chiefly the history of Christ’s conquest over the spirit of the world.”

This was written by William Law who lived 1686 – 1761.

His thoughts caused me to ask myself, “When I face Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, will he say “Well done, good and faithful servant. You lived the life I wanted you to live.”” Or, will he say, “Who are you? I don’t you!”, because I was duped into following the spirit of the world?

How should Christians respond? What thoughts should we have for the dead ‘unborn living soul’, and mother and father? What about health workers?

Jesus message is clear. Suffering people should turn to God in their time of need and acknowledge their own wrongdoing. He knew they would find forgiveness and love from God. His followers are to bring grace, forgiveness and love to everyone in these troubled situations.

Judgment belongs to God; and God alone.

How does evil weave its’ evil? Does it cause poor parenting? Is it behind sexualisation of children and young people for manipulation and profit? What about spiritually destructive beliefs and ideas? Evil works both in and out of the Church?

How should Christians confront evil people? Be very alert and astute! Yet, remember Jesus’ plea from the Cross. “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing.”

In a Christian worldview, government is responsible for good social order before God; serving the people through laws it enacts. Just treatment by government of people’s wrongdoing helps create civil society.

If killing an ‘unborn living soul’ is murder, then people who commit abortions should be fairly tried for that crime. Also, government must generate merciful treatment towards everybody in the society.

This creates two challenges for Christian leadership! The first is to prophetically hold government accountable for ‘godly’ government. The second is to equip Christians to bring into our society the fruits of God’s Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

These are examples for our society. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they would help to change personal and community beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviour.

What I picked up was this! Students are coming to school, not interested in learning! No matter how many, nor how well-qualified teachers there are; it won’t help! . What’s needed is a revolution of thought in parents. Only they, throughout their children’s early years, can instil a belief about the value of learning. Or, revolution demanded a SWAT team in every school. The ”tough” school had protocols for everything. When the woman asked the private school about homework protocols, her interviewers wondered why! “Why would children not do their homework?”

During the program, I mused. They were talking about a need in education for a sound, deeply-held belief system that would deliver desirable outcomes. Doesn’t belief create a sense of what’s valuable in life? Doesn’t this in turn develop attitudes from which behaviour flows? Doesn’t the behaviour lead to personal outcomes for a person, and community outcomes for those around that person? For good; or bad!

Our society is powerfully influenced by a secular, humanist worldview. It is a belief system with great influence over Australian families. It also dominates our Australian education system.

Is this the cause of the problems, for which we need a revolution?

Coincidentally, yesterday morning, I read this paragraph in “What’s so amazing about grace?” by Philip Yancy. “Modern democracy badly needs a new spirit of civility, and Christians could show the way by demonstrating the “fruit” of God’s Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

This is a belief system, too! Maybe, it could be the engine for our education revolution! Are we Christians prepared to live by it?