We are all familiar with the saying “The world’s going to hell in a hand basket.” The expectation is that things are supposed to get worse. We are told things aren’t as good now as they were 20 years ago, and 20 years from now, they will be even worse. The temptation this creates for Christians is to hunker down in the hand basket and just ride it out until we make it to heaven or until Jesus returns to earth. This theology saps our motivation to work toward a better world…to be true disciples. God expects his disciples’ lives to be characterized by signs of transformation…compassion, mercy, justice, and love…and for these signs to be tangible.