Each one reach one

⁹ God has no use for the prayers
   of the people who won't listen to him. 

(Proverbs 28:9)

Ever wonder why our country is in such a state of financial, spiritual, moral, or emotional crisis?  We have embellished the truth a little, in my estimation, by calling ourselves a nation guided and directed by God.  We have a National Day of Prayer, we allow kids to gather at the flagpole in September each year for the "See You At the Pole" rallies, but do we really seek our God as the primary basis upon which we make our decisions?  Do we daily lift our leaders before the Lord, asking him to give them wisdom in their decisions?  I know that I am not one of those that "regularly" prays for our country's leadership - I almost have to be reminded of the issues, then I remember to pray!

Earlier in this same Proverb, it says:

² When the country is in chaos, 

   everybody has a plan to fix it—

But it takes a leader of real understanding 

   to straighten things out. 

Well, if you have been taking a really long nap, you probably don't realize that this fits us to a tee!  We are a country in chaos - and it seems that everybody has a plan to fix what they view as "wrong with America".  I imagine it is like that just about everywhere right now - Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Mexico - the list could go on and on.  People are unhappy, needs are not being met, jobs are not panning out, the spiritual health of nations is in states of unrest.  What's the remedy?

Simply put, it is that we have an obligation to a light in a very dark world.  We have opportunities to affect the course of our nation's crisis - through our prayers and through our witness.  I may not know how to pray for all the intricate details of my nation's legislative issues right now, but I do know how to pray for my next door neighbor and the gal in the cubicle next to me at work.  That is where revival in our country begins - each one of us, stepping up to lift up those individuals God brings into our paths.  As we do this, he enlarges our influence.

Even if we are not burdened by a "nation in crisis" right now, we should be burdened by a neighbor in crisis.  We may not be the leader of a nation, but we are a "leader" in our sphere of influence.  Let's ask God to give us real understanding as it applies to those we have the ability to influence.  In turn, he will take those individuals and use them to influence others, and the results can be astronomical.