When I was 12 or 13 I loved watching the old Flash Gordon serials. You had the completely good guys–the courageous Flash Gordon, the wise Dr. Zarkov. You had the completely bad guys–the evil Emperor Ming, the toady Captain Torch. The thing about these films was that you knew who was good and who was bad. That’s not the way things are in real life.

I’ve know a lot of good, admirable people, but none of them were perfect. Albert Schweitzer was a hero of mine from the time of my early teens. Organist, expert on Bach, philosopher, pastor, missionary, physician serving the people of Lambaréné, Africa. I can’t think of a more noble person. Yet I know he was paternalistic toward the African people he served. He believed in human dignity, yet treated the people as children.

Schweitzer’s short-comings do not diminish the good things he did, simply set them in the context of an imperfect human. None of us, including myself (maybe especially myself), are perfect. We have room for growth. This imperfection, however, doesn’t negate the good we can accomplish. I am not a good Lutheran on this subject. We Lutherans emphasize that we are sinners before God deserving condemnation, but too often overlook even we sinners can work to the betterment of our neighbors.

I am always mindful of something I heard German theologian Helmut Thielicke, We cannot make this world a paradise. We can only make the world a little bit better, but we must do our little bit.

Let’s do our little bit.

Read Hebrews 13:16 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne