We need this reminder as much now as ever.<\/p>\n
Billy Miller, an actor who played Marcus Specter on Suits<\/em> and won three Emmy awards for his role in The Young and the Restless<\/em>, died<\/a> by suicide last Friday in Austin, Texas, at the age of forty-three. His mother stated that he \u201csurrendered his life\u201d after \u201ca long hard valiant battle with bipolar depression.\u201d<\/p>\n The number of deaths by suicide in the US increased<\/a> last year to the highest rate ever<\/a>. Globally, a person dies<\/a> by suicide every forty seconds<\/a>. Gallup notes<\/a> that depression rates in the US have reached their highest levels ever reported.<\/p>\n These facts can seem overwhelming. What can you and I do to make a practical difference in our hurting world? One biblical answer is both counterintuitive and countercultural, but it offers hope we can embrace and share with those who need it most today.<\/p>\n Peter called his fellow believers \u201csojourners and exiles\u201d (1 Peter 2:11<\/a>). The former describes someone who is a foreigner or stranger; the latter refers to temporary residents. Taken together, they remind us that this world is not our home and that we are only here for a short time.<\/p>\n How are we to live in this foreign land?<\/p>\n The Lord\u2019s letter to his Jewish exiles in Babylon is instructive (Jeremiah 29<\/a>). It was preserved in Scripture because it has value not just for its original readers twenty-six centuries ago but for all readers across all times and cultures.<\/p>\n It begins: \u201cBuild houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce\u201d (v. 5). This is the opposite of what they might have expected. Rather than finding temporary shelter, they were to construct lasting structures in which to \u201clive\u201d (the Hebrew is literally translated as \u201csit down and remain\u201d). Creating gardens takes time, but they were not only to plant them but to \u201ceat their produce\u201d in the years to come.<\/p>\n In addition, they were to \u201ctake wives and have sons and daughters\u201d to fulfill God\u2019s call that they \u201cmultiply there, and do not decrease\u201d (v. 6). Rather than allowing their nation to wither in exile, they were to seek to grow and prosper.<\/p>\n Now comes the most shocking instruction of all: \u201cSeek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare\u201d (v. 7). \u201cSeek\u201d means to \u201crun diligently after\u201d; the \u201cwelfare\u201d of the city refers to its peace, prosperity, health, and success. The exiles were to do all they could to promote the Babylonian city\u2019s welfare and then to \u201cpray to the Lord on its behalf\u201d that he might do what they could not.<\/p>\n The reason was simple: \u201cIn its welfare you will find your welfare.\u201d<\/p>\n One response to the brokenness of our secularized culture is to withdraw into spiritual \u201chuddles\u201d with little concern for those outside our circle. But this ignores our commission to \u201cgo therefore and make disciples of all nations\u201d (Matthew 28:19<\/a>). And it impoverishes us while denying others the good we can offer them in Christ.<\/p>\n What are some biblical ways we can \u201cseek the welfare\u201d of our broken culture?<\/p>\n One: \u201cShow kindness and mercy to one another<\/strong>\u201d (Zechariah 7:9<\/a>). As the sign-holding man in Jacksonville reminds us, we cannot know the larger impact of a single act of encouragement and affirmation.<\/p>\n Two: \u201cAs each has received a gift, use it to serve one another<\/strong>\u201d (1 Peter 4:10<\/a>). John Grove argues<\/a> persuasively in Public Discourse<\/em>: \u201cWe do not need more self-conscious crusaders for the nation or even for Western Civilization, but instead more priests, teachers, businessmen, artists, writers, and parents who perform their own activities faithfully, serving . . . as \u2018leaven for the whole lump.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Three: \u201cBring salvation to the ends of the earth<\/strong>\u201d (Acts 13:47<\/a>). Paul was \u201cnot ashamed of the gospel\u201d because it is \u201cthe power of God for salvation to everyone who believes\u201d (Romans 1:16<\/a>). According to Tim Keller<\/a>, \u201cThe gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ<\/a> than we ever dared hope.\u201d<\/p>\n Christians have a unique gift for our culture today: we alone can demonstrate the kindness of Christ by offering our best service to hurting souls while sharing the good news of God\u2019s love. But we cannot love well until we embrace the fact that we are well loved.<\/p>\n To that end, let\u2019s close with this intercession from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer<\/em>: \u201cHelp us so to know you that we may truly love you, and so to love you that we may fully serve you, whose service is perfect freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n Will you join me in offering these words from your heart to your Father today?<\/p>\n NOTE<\/strong>: If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, I encourage you to call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or go here<\/a>. For Denison Forum articles on mental health, please go here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Publication date: September 20, 2023<\/em><\/p>\n Photo courtesy: \u00a9Getty Images\/Irina Vodneva<\/em><\/p>\n The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of Christian Headlines.<\/em><\/p>\n For more from the Denison Forum, please visit www.denisonforum.org<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n“In its welfare you will find your welfare”<\/h2>\n
Three ways to \u201cseek the welfare\u201d of our city<\/h2>\n
How to love well<\/h2>\n