Becoming dissatisfied with our circumstances starts early in many people. Even children, rather than being thankful, will sometimes grouse about the things provided for them. There is a story of a little boy from a time when children in small rural schools would bring their lunch from home in lunch boxes, lunch bags, or a pail that might have originally been a syrup bucket. This youngster was not happy with what his mother sent for his school lunch. He sullenly thought, “It’s just not enough and I don’t like it any way.”

The latest ransomware attack, called Wannacry, is said to be the largest in history. But every day, thousands of attempts are made to hack into government, business, and individual computer systems to spy and to steal data. Is nothing secure anymore?

Our lives are often beset with upsets and troubles. Yet, so many times, we do not choose to look at what is soothing and uplifting. One famous author tells us that we have a choice as to where we center our attention (Philippians 4:8).

Much as we may believe that we can "go it alone" in life, we fare far better when we have help. Are you feeling alone—perhaps vulnerable? That doesn’t need to be the case. That same author, the Apostle Paul, stated that God would never abandon His people—those who sought to follow His ways (Hebrews 13:5).

The nations of the world keep changing their leaders. People hope things will be better under new leadership. What is a Christian’s responsibility toward leaders of their nation?

Rational people do not expect leaders to satisfy everyone or solve all problems, but they hope their leaders will bring resolutions to the most important issues. We all desire to have relative peace and safety through respectful enforcement of laws. We hope for economic prosperity so we and our families will have food, clothing and shelter.

The Guardian reported on a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences about Henderson Island in the Pitcairn Islands. According to researchers from Tasmania and the UK, “One of the world’s most remote places, an uninhabited coral atoll, is also one of its most polluted...