Somebody got a light?

And the people of Israel departed from there at that time, every man to his tribe and family, and they went out from there every man to his inheritance. In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. -Judges 21:24-25 (ESV)

Just in the past week, the nation has experienced everything from shootings, protests over the shootings (supposedly driven by kids) for and against policies that will result in little more than the erosion of constitutional rights, the passing of abhorrent budget legislation, and tonight the nation is to be treated to an interview on 60 Minutes of a p0rn star that supposedly hooked the president. And the nation continues it's swirl down the proverbial toilet bowl. Anarchy is defined as a state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority, basically doing what is right in their own eyes. Doesn't the past week give evidence of every increasing levels of disorder?

Surely the nation has seen seemingly perilous times in its past. But I'm not sure the case can be made that those times were in conjunction with what really amounts to an increasing level of anarchy we are seeing today. Authority, secular and religious, is being rejected all over. Often it is with good reason as these institutions have not been immune to those same forces of societal decay that have permeated the country. Greed and the lack of sound education knows no bounds. Past generations provided these institutions so that succeeding generations could receive and build upon those ethical and moral edifices that make for a great society. They were once the fire that spread light throughout the world but are now barely a glowing ember, unable to repel the darkness.

It has been said that the night is darkest just before the dawn. This being Palm Sunday, we need to keep in mind as we enter upon this season of rebirth, that even if it gets darker still before the light, everything is a part of God's divine plan. It is up to each individual to "...not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2 ESV) If we are going to straighten out the country, it starts with each individual. Become the ember that ignites again the fire that spreads light and pushes back the darkness. It starts with us.

It starts with me.