4/27 Grammy Blick

Were things better in days gone by?

God doesn't think so. Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. [Ecclesiastes 7:10 KJV]

It is always easier to look back and think that days gone by were better. People have always done this, and the Bible says it is unwise. I remember my mother's concern as I was growing up, about how much worse things were than when she was a child. As I think of the nationally covered issues in my lifetime, I really don't believe things are worse today than they were when I was a child. There are nations that wish to destroy our way of live. For Mom it was Germany and Japan, for me it was Russia, for today?

I believe the Bible is correct that it is not wise for us to think about it, either.

Why? For one thing, it focuses us in the wrong direction. We should not be looking back to what was a generation or two ago -- our witness will have no impact on yesterday, much less yester year. Our focus needs to be on today and the future.

There is no accomplishment in comparing yester year with today. Any such comparison is similar to the apples/oranges situation. We have a huge increase in the dissemination of information -- much changed with the internet. For my mother's generation, the communication impact change was the television. For my grandparents, the radio. The quicker the news spreads, the larger the issues appear, even though they have existed from the beginning of time.

The rules for mankind remain the same as given by God to Moses, repeated to His listeners by Christ, written to the churches by the disciples. The breaking of those rules is just as real today as it was in each of those times, but not really more prevelent.

Of course, that's my opinion based on a number of sources. Were this a serious dissertation, I should be citing specific references, newsworthy, of course. Instead, I turn to the Bible and I believe what it says, that it is unwise for us to think things were better in days long gone.

Live in today, within what God wills for our lives. And the way to learn about that is to continue in Bible study and prayer. They are wonderful partners. Yesterday, we cannot change. Tomorrow is in God's hand. Read and pray now.