It is said in the Bible that "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law" (Proverbs 29:18, NASB). People need a vision of change, of hope and a good future for their country. Otherwise, they cast off restraint, get into all sorts of get-rich quick schemes, which includes unlawful ones such as stealing and bribery. The problem is they don't believe things will get better for them. They make excuses that there other people who do the same things. Why? Because they have no vision. They think the country will always be run that way, up to the generation of their sons or daughters.
In the mercy of God, we don't have to believe that anymore. We can choose not to accept lies that our country will not get better. We can choose to believe the opposite.
What makes good governments good? Part of it is vision. We have to be run by a vision. God's vision. A long-lasting vision. A vision that will surpass our generation and will only get better and better.
That's the only way to make lasting change that will far surpass the legacies of good people or good governance and leadership. After the term of our good president Benigno Aquino III, the vision has to remain. The vision has to be kept strong. The vision has to be maintained. That's the only way to make lasting change in our nation.
Second, the verse says, "Happy is he who keeps the law."
Filipinos pride themselves in being a happy people, and it has some truth. People say that the Filipinos have gone through a lot of things and yet they never fail to smile.
But now, I want to give a better definition of a "happy" person. A happy person is one who keeps the law. It says so in the Bible. Do you believe it? A happy person is one who keeps the law.
That's a higher vision isn't it? Let's adhere to the laws of our country. Let's adhere to traffic rules, tax payments, cleanliness and environmental policies. Avoid throwing your trash on the street. There is no (widely spread) law yet here. It's just my personal one. Do what is right and you will be blessed.
Lastly, we need empowered people.
Believe that you can turn any situation around by the grace of GOD, whether it's a personal situation (e.g., financial difficulty, etc.), or a corporate one (e.g., getting the company on the right path), or a nation-wide one. The Lord is empowering you to be the change you want to be. I am telling you now, the Lord is empowering you - the one reading this - to be the change you want to be. The Lord will turn darkness into light, despair into joy and hope, factions into peace, greed into generosity, unbelief into faith, uncertainty to confidence, crime into changed lives. I still believe in change. I still believe in hope. I still believe in the future. I still believe that the change will be in people who are empowered to be a blessing. I still believe in people, no matter the age, financial ability, educational attainment, and background. I still believe in grace unlimited for our country. There is more, there is more, there is more. You haven't seen the best of the Lord yet. He has shown us great things. But there are still a lot of He can do, a lot more He has yet to show.
Beloved, the God of good things is empowering you to create an impact and make lasting change for the good of your nation. The God of the nations, The LORD, will stop at nothing until the good He has planned in you is complete. So you must not stop. You must not fear. You must not be discouraged. You must not be complacent. You must keep moving. You must keep going forward. You must keep marching. There is still more to come and the best is yet to be.
Halleluiah to our God JESUS! It is said the Lord is enthroned in the praises of His people.
I just read in Nehemiah that the Lord used the priests, leaders and heads of families to rebuild Jerusalem. We can all make a difference in our life, our country, and our people. I would love to see my countrymen empowered to be the change that our country needs. The answer does not need to come from external sources, the answer can come from you. As long as God is with you, there is nothing you cannot do.
My greatest hope is not just the overall economy will rise but there will be distribution of blessing to others. I can't imagine being a rich nation and yet forget our people, widening the divide of the rich and the poor. We can't have a large number of rich people and yet are indifferent to the needs of other people. God wants to bless us so that we can be a blessing. People need to be empowered, even the people we call "weak" and "disregarded." That's the only way we can ensure that everyone in the country is given an equal chance to change their destiny, and change the course of this nation.
Is your country a part of your personal vision?
"Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
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