The story is told about the great writer and thinker G. K. Chesterton that when a local newspaper posed the question, “What’s wrong with the world?”, he reputedly wrote a brief letter in response. “Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely Yours, G. K. Chesterton.”
That same question could be posed today. In fact, we have all asked that question numerous times in our lives. We read the newspaper, watch the news on television, surf the web even casually and read one story after another of, as we used to say, “man’s inhumanity to man”. Killings, wars, poverty, disease abound the world over. It was not supposed to be like this. It is not supposed to be like this. But it is and we wonder what’s wrong with the world.
This world of ours is so vast, so huge, even if, due to our ability to communicate instantly, our world seems to be getting smaller and smaller. A tornado happens in Kansas, a tsunami occurs in Japan, a bombing takes place in London and we know about it almost in seconds, if we happen to be tuned in. The problems, the evils, are often beyond our imagination and certainly beyond our personal ability to resolve.
We even have to wonder if anybody or any body is strong enough, has enough resources, even if there is a will, to do something, anything, about the mess except to lament what is happening and the try to find someone or something where the blame can be laid. Unlike Chesterton, however, we are likely to find scapegoats other than ourselves. We can find innumerable people to blame, perhaps even God, were we brave enough to do so, but we are reluctant to take any responsibility ourselves.
Yet, Chesterton was absolutely correct. He hit the proverbial nail on the head. The problems in the world are the result of millions, billions, of individual sinful and selfish acts. Granted, one less selfish action on our personal part will be insignificant in reducing the pain and suffering. No one will notice except, perhaps, the one towards whom our action was to be directed. But in the grand scheme of things, it will be like a drop of water in a huge ocean.
Nevertheless, to discount even one small act, to not take any blame for the situation the world is in, is the main reason why there are so many problems in the world. We do sinful things, you and I, because we convince ourselves that our actions won’t hurt anyone or at least not hurt everyone. We never, or hardly ever, look at the bigger picture because we see only one little part of it. Or is it that we freely choose to close our eyes to the truth?
The first step in making this world a better place, the first step in removing the problems that surround us and that cause so much unjust pain and suffering to so many people, is for each of us to do as Chesterton did and that is to own up to our own complicity in creating the mess the world is now in. The second step is to do something about it, and that is to be personally less sinful, less selfish. Again, that will not make a significant difference, but it is a start. As the song about peace says, let it begin with me.