Good Fortune

Is America in constant need of good news? It seems all we ever see on television is bad news. I’m not one for watching the news everyday, because almost every story reported is full of turmoil and tragedy. However, I do try to stay abreast of current events. I read a magazine called The Week, which touts itself as containing “all you need to know about everything that matters.” It highlights major stories covered in the United States and International Media. In addition to the top news stories, it usually contains a few human interest type stories as well as the latest in film, travel, leisure, music, books, and business.

A few months ago, I read an article adapted from a book called The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8. Lee. The article was about the two men who have written almost all the fortunes placed inside fortune cookies at Chinese restaurants. One of the men, Donald Lau had gotten writer’s block and conveyed in the article that writing fortunes was the hardest job he had ever had. He reported it was difficult because the epigrams have to be about a dozen words in order to fit onto a ½-inch-by-2-inch piece of paper, and they must have a positive, uplifting message. He reported he was drained because, “He couldn’t meet America’s constant demand for good news.”

As I read this article, I couldn’t help but agree. Americans and the rest of the world are in constant need of good news, but most do not accept or recognize the Good News we Christians try to profess to them each day through our words and actions. Could it be our words and actions don’t always reflect the Good News and what we claim to believe? Something we all should consider. What if we as Christians worked harder to let our witness reflect the dozen or so words that are the best news that anyone could ever hear:

“For God so loved the world that He gave his only Son.”