The problem with the world can best be described by this simple fictional story. This story paints a good picture of the type of world we live in:

Title: Family of geese get attacked by teenage boys

There is no better place to raise a family than on a small island in the middle of a lake surrounded by tall trees. Parents know this only too well as the island provides a safe haven at night from foxes. As soon as day breaks and the foxes have gone its great to cross the lake and take the family out for a wander in open pastures. The parent geese are always aware that there can be danger in the daytime and so walk in single file with the goslings in the middle. Adult geese are big, strong and aggressive and know how to scare off most predators during the daytime. They want the best for their kids and so this training exercise is important to them. But unfortunately even these wise parents are unaware of all the dangers out there.

An imminent danger awaits the father goose, as he keeps watch over the goslings. The danger comes from three teenage boys who are wandering around close to where the geese are. ‘Darren’ is suffering from a bruised ego. He is being made fun of by his two mates because he failed to hit the ‘F’ on a fosters lager can during shooting practice.

Oh poor poor Darren!

All of a sudden the geese come into full view of the boys. Darren’s mates start to take pot shots at father gooses head but miss after several attempts. Darren takes aim and and hits the target directly. Father goose collapses.

“We’ll done Darren” says Andy sarcastically. “You’re not supposed to hit them, just scare them. Now look at what you’ve done?” They walk away leaving him on his own. Darren then runs off in the opposite direction. Mother goose hovers around father goose whilst at the same time trying to protect the goslings. The teenage boys are nowhere to be seen. Maybe some good natured soul will come and help the geese….

….maybe?..!!

Just like the geese we are also ignorant to the dangers of this world. Most of these dangers are unseen by us and we need Gods protection from them. We are at every moment the slave, puppet and toy of countless beings, powers, forces, influences in universal nature that we cannot even conceive or understand. Some of these forces are good but others evil. Letting evil forces take control opens us up to all kinds suffering and misfortune that enter our lives as if out of thin air. Every decision we make is not our own but the result of higher forces that we cannot even start to comprehend.

“Our mind has the sense of choosing, but it does not see, it is not even dimly aware of the force behind that has determined its choice” – Sri Aurobindo

The enemy uses worldly things to lead us astray through temptation. These can be evil thoughts, money, gossip, internet porn and even fear and worry. The enemy tries to convince us that the things of this world are important. When you find that you’ve failed an exam or are being bullied it will appear very real and have a large effect on your life. The enemy does this on purpose by making you focused on the world and not God.

It is the same enemy that is causing climate change, poverty and hunger in the world. It is the same enemy that is causing groups of terrorists to kill innocent families with children. It is the same enemy that causes young girls to become victims of sex trafficking!

This led me to ask myself the following. Is there more to life than what we experience. Why is the world the way it is? Why is there so much unhappiness and unfulfillment in this world?

Well, lets pause for a moment and….imagine this!

Consider for a moment a world where you don’t have to worry about bills, persecution, people who are nasty and where your next meal is coming from. In a perfect world there would be no need to fear sickness, war, or natural disasters. In a perfect world there would be no poverty, no pain, no hurt, no death and no broken relationships.

The lamb is normally lunch for the lion. Likewise, the goat is a snack for the leopard. Animals that don’t normally get on would eat together and rest side by side in peace. Animals that we would hardly describe as suitable pets for a child – wolves, leopards, lions and snakes would be play mates for a little child.

There would be no fear or anxiety. The helpless and the innocent would live in safety and have no dread of the big and the powerful. And yes you could recline in the mangrove forests of Sundarban with a tiger on your left and a python on your right – if that is what you desire..

But why isn’t the world perfect?

The answer is on the NEXT Page – The Reason