Nothing Sacred

I have been working now for about a month. After so many years of living in a foreign culture and being out of American culture, or just being among God-fearing Christian Americans most of the time, and the rest of the time speaking foreign languages with people of foreign cultures to my own, I have been plunged back into the "real world" of the secular culture whenever I go to work each day. I am saddened by the state of people's lives who don't have Christ as their hope. I know it will be a struggle to fight against synicism and apathy that is all around me. I pray for the strength not to lose hope in people and in God's ability to transform even the most hopeless of lives. I know He can and has for me and for so many. I am amazed at the choices people have made in the American culture, a culture that offers more than any other for realizing one's greatest potential. I am saddened by how others waste money and giftedness, settling for less than their greatest potential. I am reminded of the lyrics of Billy Sprague's song "Nothing Sacred" which resounds more than a decade later as a true picture of the sad state which our society has become:

"People need true love, but chase infatuation,
they need a hope, but live on short supply,
People need wisdom, but get more education,
People need forgiveness, but settle things eye-for-eye.

People need identity, but are satisfied with titles,
They need true courage, but bravado looks sincere,
People need a living God, but seem content with idols,
People need destiny, but settle for careers,

And the soul remains unsettled,
and the world a wilderness,
In a time where nothing's sacred,
and souls settle for less.

People need faith, but place their bets on science,
They need a refuge, but stay out in the rain,
People need eachother but rely on self reliance,
People need a Christmas, but settle for a holiday,

People need dignity but survive on ego,
They need the truth, but will take an alibi,
People need a savior, but much prefer a hero,
Most long for heaven, but have settled for the sky.

And the soul remains unsettled,
and the world a wilderness,
In a time where nothing's sacred,
and souls settle for less.