Faith in the News

First, 

I thank my God

 through Jesus Christ 

for all of you

 because the news of your faith is being reported

 in all the world

Romans 1:8

Today's news isn't quite so uplifting.  A murder trial, a plane crash, and a an angry mob consume the space on every news site.  A quick search for "news of faith" didn't yield much better.  There was a story of an arrested missionary, a preacher who shot his own son, and two bishops accused of child abuse.  

As I understand it, Paul had never been to Rome at this point, he didn't even know these people he was writing to.  Yet everywhere, he was hearing about them, hearing about their faith.  He was encouraged and filled with gratitude by the reports.  So what exactly was being reported?  Was it a church growing in numbers or growing in strength under persecution?  Was it a giving spirit reaching out to the poor or sending missionaries to other cities?  Or was it quiet lives lived with such honor before God that even their persecutors had to take note?  

What ever it was, it had to be spectacular.  I can't imagine that people really have changed all that much.  For all we complain about the barrage of bad news, for all we question why the media can't just focus on something positive for a change, the truth is, they only sell what we're buying.  Anger, violence, and chaos capture attention.  They bring us back minute by minute, to check out the latest updates and pull in the audience to pay the advertisers.  

So what would it mean to wake up tomorrow and see that the news was all about people of faith?  Would we listen, would we honor the stories with our focus and praise?  What would the story be, how would the world respond,  be if the cameras followed the church for a day?