Romans 16:19b “but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.”

Sadly, in current day America it is far too easy to be exposed to evil beyond simplicity.  My oldest daughter, a fourth grade public school student, recently wrote the following essay as a part of a timed assignment in order to answer the question ‘What would make the world a better place?’

“Have you ever thought about how the world could become a better place?  If you think it is faster speed limits, or less homework, that’s totally your opinion.  I think that people should be more Godly or have stronger morals.  That would help let there be way fewer crimes, less war or no war, and stronger families.  All those things would be great for our economy.  But those are just a few of the reasons that would make our world a better place.

“Fewer crimes would prevent a lot of things in our world.  Especially nightmares as bad as when things have happened to them in real life.  Like those poor children at the school that had the tragedy, I just can’t imagine what they went through.  When I think of crimes I think of all jet black clothes covered from head to toe, but in the back of my mind, I think of the sound of guns and screams.  So if people were more moral, thinks like the school tragedy wouldn’t happen.  Life without crimes would just be so, so much better.  No more crimes, yeah!

 “Less war would also be an excellent thing that stronger morals would promote.  If we didn’t have wars, we could get to be good friends with other countries that are our absolute enemies.  For example, there could be a war with Iran and North Korea.  War also sounds like a scary and miserable place to be.  I also can hear gunshots, but from miles away.  Over the summer, we went to a place where we learned all about the Revolutionary War.  A lot of people were yelling like they were really mad at each other.  We watched that in a movie.  Life would again be so much better without many wars.

 “Fewer crimes and less war would be good, but perhaps the most important one of them all is stronger families.  Kids should have a mom and dad instead of just one adult.  Adults shouldn’t divorce because kids need both parents.  The dads to work and get money and the moms to take care of the children.  If adults would not get divorced then the family would love and play games with each other.  If they have just one child then both parents can read stories to the child.  When I think of divorce its like sadness and sorrow.  Taking most of the money all for himself, that’s sometimes what the dads do.  I just think of the kids begging their parents not to divorce, and sometimes the children get no say.  I know my parents love each other so much and will never get divorced.

“The world might even be a fantastic place if the world had stronger morals.  Things like fewer crimes, less war, and stronger families are really important.  All three of them the world doesn’t do a good job of.  We have many crimes, a decent amount of war, and a ton of families get divorced.  Truly the world would be a better place without these things, and if people had stronger morals.”

Though we have sheltered her as much as possible, she understands the evil in the world around her far more than we would prefer her to. As one who has not been outside America’s borders, her world is our country.  And this country needs to be more Godly.  Her description of its lack of godliness should break our hearts.  PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD BE WISER ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GODLY AND SIMPLER ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NOT.