Friday, July 24, 2009

Influencing the Nations

Chew on this observation from M. Scott Peck, author of A Road Less Traveled:

It is notable that two hundred years ago this new nation spent virtually no money and no energy attempting to control the behavior of the other nations of the world. Yet one by one, almost ten by ten, the peoples of these nations followed our spiritual and political example to seek the same freedoms for themselves. It is hard to escape the conclusion that in the years since, our political and spiritual leadership has declined in inverse proportion to the increasing amounts of money and effort we have expended to manipulate other countries . . . I wonder, if we in the United States were to concentrate -- as our overwhelmingly major priority -- on making ourselves the best possible society we can be, whether the nations of the world might once again, without any pressure except the influence of example, begin to emulate us.

Sounds like Jesus -- being salt and light.


2 comments:

Jeff said...

What a novel idea. Live a life where others see compassion and love, mercy and grace and maybe, just maybe, they would think it's something to emulate.

If satan would quit messing with us, it would be so easy. If we would succumb to satan less and less, it would be so beautiful.

Randy Davis said...

Perhaps if we stopped trying to emulate the nations around us, our influence would be greater.