Seventh in this series: “Is the end of the world coming soon?”
It is surprising how many children ask the question. Fears take unusual turns, but we forget that media has a way of exacerbating the worst, and it affects the young. Fears of many kinds are grossly magnified in media with convincing but selective partial truths that are repeated across media platforms. Alarmism and outright lies are passed quickly, especially if repeated and accompanied with selective pictures and video. Rumors and fears from adult writers quickly turn into factual-sounding material without the context being explained. To young people and children, it is not a surprise for the future to be questioned. So they ask, will climate change or an asteroid end the world? Will the regional war a half a world away end their lives?
But is the world ending quickly? The quick answer that we give is “probably not.” But we try to answer in the context of the original question. During and following the COVID pandemic, several children came to us afraid or despairing. So, will they all die of disease? Probably not. Following a rash of fires in US, children in the Philippines asked if the US was all on fire. No. Several ask about climate change, having read so many alarmist articles and pictures of impending catastrophes. We tell them they have a future. Some are afraid while others figure they better enjoy whatever they can because they see little hope for the future. Neither fear nor carefree approaches, based on those fears, are wise.
We explain context as we can. The rash of fires was localized and when high density populations are nearby, the local devastation is severe. For climate, we tell them there is a very modest rise in average overland temperatures, but no indicators of climate catastrophe as commonly depicted. Further, there is an absence of data showing rising seas. We put the effects of disasters, war, or pestilence in a context as well because media not only does not give context, the reporting is frequently exaggerated.
But the fundamental answers we give are biblical. We often go back to God’s promise, which still stands in His words to Noah after the Genesis Flood. Genesis 8:21-22 are worth repeating: “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
Implicit to this reference and others is our state of evil and the precise words from God that the earth will not endure forever. Whether we take them to Matthew 24, Luke 17, some of the Old Testament prophets, admonitions in 2 Peter 3, or a dozen other verses, there is an end coming. We do not mince words about an end coming and the second coming of Jesus Christ. Hence, the admonitions to listen to the Gospel, receive Christ, and walk accordingly before God are important. Why? Because He sees everything and does not count a long or short time like we do. He is patient, waiting for the last ones to come to Him or give their lives following Him.
But is the end soon? While not trying to be funny or dodge the question, we tell them it is a lot sooner now than it was when last of the Bible was laid down. But to unravel fears we explain that it is better to fear God than man or what they perceive as imminent catastrophe. The Gospel is helpful in the conversations, because receiving Him and walking in His ways on this earth is just the beginning of a believer’s walk, whether a person’s life be short or long. He conquered death and made provision for our sins to be forgiven, knowing that this life is not all there is for those who follow Christ.
So we often remind them, why not make a difference with the life you have by involving the One who created them to begin with Him? He is the master of creativity and knows best what path forward is best. And that posture puts good or bad things that happen in a proper context, because He loves those who love Him.
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