I heard it again this week: “I don’t watch the news. It’s too depressing.”  I admit it can be downright depressing sometimes. In these overstressed times, the news sometimes brings another story of woe. These stories can be happening on the other side of the world or in the next county over. We feel powerless to stop a war, comfort victims, mourn with families outside our zip codes or stop political shenanigans in our own town. 

A variation of this is getting our news only from people we agree with. This leads to what is called “confirmation bias.”  We only read or watch viewpoints until they seem to be the only valid ones. We wind up in an information hall of mirrors, magnifying our opinions and tailoring the news to fit our preconceived ideas. 

When we tune out the news, or only tune into the news that supports our viewpoints, we are accused of putting our heads in the sand. This phrase comes from Roman times. The Romans observed ostriches in Africa and thought they put their heads in the sand when they were frightened or threatened.  

The Romans, however, had bad eyesight. Ostriches do not put their heads in the sand. When they feel threatened, they will check their eggs, which are buried in the sand. Or they will put their head on top of the sand to lower their profiles. Ostriches are smart enough to know you cannot hide from reality. 

I am sad to say some of my tribe of Christians still believe we can hide from reality by avoiding the news or pretending reality doesn’t exist by offering a false account of events (Whatever happened to “Thou shalt not bear false witness?”). Jesus, however, never ducked reality. He never created a false narrative. His followers believe he came to deal with the ultimate reality of humanity: the brokenness of human lives and the sinful cultures we build. Remember his clear words: “You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 

Karl Barth said, “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.”  I’ve thought a lot about this since I heard about another weekend of gun violence. A white supremacist takes guns into a grocery story and kills ten people. Another gunman opens fire in a California church, wounding five and killing a doctor, who heroically charged the gunman as he opened fire, enabling others to subdue him. This gunman, ironically born in Taiwan, hated Taiwanese people. When I hear about racially motivated shootings, I remember what the Bible says: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou are with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.”  I pray for God to walk with people through tragedy, for God to comfort them. I pray for God to drive out the hate that inhabits troubled souls.

I read about the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. I remember to pray for peace: “Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”  Though it is hard, I pray to the enemies of my country that they might see the hopelessness of their path and turn toward the grace and forgiveness of Jesus.

A stock market alert comes across my phone. Bears and Bulls are wrestling on Wall Street. I know this means the next time I check my retirement fund, I will feel anxiety and wonder, “Do I have enough?”  Then I remember to pray: “What time I am afraid, I will trust in you.”  The words of Jesus come back to me: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…; rather, store up treasure in heaven.”  Every dip in the stock market is an invitation to trust my Heavenly Father, who knows my needs better than I do.

A leaked Supreme Court draft striking down Roe vs. Wade causes some people to rejoice and others to proclaim the end of a woman’s freedom. I hear Jesus’ words in my head, “This is my command, that you love one another. Love one another as I have loved you.”  I must confess to God my heart must grow before I can love all the people in the abortion debate. I am to love the unborn baby who carries the image of God. I am to love the mom who is considering abortion, because her pregnancy is not good news. I am to love the single mom who decides to keep her baby and depends on my tax dollars to buy her baby formula. I am to love people who spew judgment and hate on all sides of the issue. I pray harder for God to help me love everyone involved.

To have a prayer list of people who are sick or have lost loved ones is good. Pray too, for missionaries, for caregivers. Pray for pastors and churches and the lost. But lengthen your prayer list. Follow the news. Let the Bible guide your prayers. Then pray. Watch what God can do.