This current generation is always on social media or the internet. No one in college usually has time to read a newspaper, watch the news, or listens to NPR (except some of my friends who are basically dads already).

But I love how not only are regular Odyssey articles swimming around social media, but so are Odyssey news articles.

I think so many people, including myself, try to avoid the news at all times because, let’s face it, it’s depressing. War, death, poverty, sickness. We don’t want to hear about these things, but unfortunately people all over the world are experiencing them first hand.

It is a very harsh reality – this world is broken and full of violence, hatred, and suffering.

I also think it’s ironic that if you put “current events” into a search engine and click on any site that pops up, you will get news anywhere from politics to an article like “10 Nutritious Foods That Take Away Stomach Fat.”

While I am more apt to click on the article with a cute picture of a puppy, it is still important to know what is going on in the world.

I think, especially as Christians in America, it gives us so much that we can and need to be thankful for. So many times we find ourselves complaining about life, but when we live in that nice house in the suburbs, complaining about something as small as bugs on our nice windshields is the least of third world countries’ concerns.

They have worrying about where their next meal is coming from. Some people don’t have the freedom of religion, or the privilege of free public education.

It is important for us to know that there are natural disasters in Peru that cause death and destruction. It is important for us to know what is going on with our military in other countries. It is important for us to know that violence continues to flare in Israel.

It is important for us to know that just this weekend a general and senior presidential advisor were assassinated in Burundi, in Syria, a plane purposefully crashed on civilians.

It is important for us to know that there are being dying every day, there are people who have gone weeks and months without jobs or food for their children. There are so many things that happen in this world that we should know about.

Why?

So we can be praying for them. People everywhere need our love, support, and most importantly need to hear about Jesus.

Through loving and praying for other people, especially those in harsh conditions around the world, they will be affected. If we do nothing, we will never know.

The greatest commandment God gave us is to love our God with all of soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.

So I challenge you, begin praying not only for your city and this nation, but the world around you.