John Krasinski, known to many as the witty and charming Jim from the highly popular TV show The Office, started a YouTube channel Some Good News. The first episode featured stories of front-line workers receiving applause for putting themselves in danger amid the COVID crisis, an interview with a 15-year old who came home to a socially-distanced warm welcome after her last chemotherapy treatment, and an interview with fellow Office star Steve Carell.
I thoroughly enjoyed my fifteen minutes watching Krasinski’s SGN. I was ready for some good news. The show debuted on Monday and millions have already viewed it. Probably because, in our bad news time, many people are ready for some good news.
Hearing good news is a vital part of our everyday lives. There are two Proverbs which speak directly to the importance of good news:
Proverbs 15:30
Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart,
and good news gives health to the bones.Proverbs 25:25
Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.
There is no doubt that life is incredibly difficult for us right now. We need to grieve the losses we are experiencing, and there is much to lament. But, Christians also need to take up the mantle of being good news people. People are ready for some good news because it is good for us.
As Christians, we have our entire lives founded on a physical, glorious, everlasting hope that is rooted in the physical, glorious, eternal, resurrected Jesus. We are the kind of people who should be proactive in bringing good news.
Being good news people in a bad news time can look like simple little actions. Calling our friends to just chat and reconnect. Sharing a meme on social media that made us smile or laugh. Sending the perfectly suited GIF in a text exchange. Finding little moments in the midst of our physically distant world that gets our mind off all the bad news for one minute is something we can positively contribute to those around us.
But as Christians, it clearly isn’t just about sending memes, GIFs, and links to videos that will make people laugh. We need to embrace the call to be good news people and give those around us the best news they could possibly hear: Jesus.
Jesus came to be good news to those who know they need some good news. But it’s different from the kind of good news Krasinski features. Jesus is the one who fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy and is the one who could say in
Luke 4:18:
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
For perhaps the first time in a long time our neighbours, friends, coworkers, and others in our relational circle don’t feel like they have their lives under control. They don’t feel wealthy in spirit. They recognize the deep needs they have. And there are many reasons for them to question whether the kingdom they have built for themselves is worth much at all. They realize that once they’ve finished watching the Krasinski video, or smirking at a meme, or laughing at a GIF, that they are left empty and wanting. They are poor in spirit. So it’s good news that Jesus said elsewhere, in
Matthew 5:3:
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus has come to bring good news to people just like them. People just like us. People like me. Jesus is good news in a bad news time. There is a new and better kingdom awaiting those who know they need some good news, if only they will accept the King who offers it to them.
So, let’s be good news people. And let’s pray that many people come to find Jesus as the one who is good news in our bad news time. He can satisfy our soul, console us in our pain, and be our rest when we are weary.
We’ve got some good news. Let’s share it.
Greg Harris
Campus Pastor – East Abbotsford