The world is hurting. This is not a new thing, but in the US, it is at the top of the media and thankfully, there are brave souls who are continuing to stoke the fire and refuse to be silent. Even if I do not agree with your opinion, I am grateful that you won’t be silenced. This topic of race, violence, and poverty needs to stay vibrant until it can be silenced by solution. I don’t want it silenced by the other who are trying to enjoy their blessed life and are bothered by the news. I don’t want them (which many times includes me) to stuff this issue down into the bottle of taboo topics so they can go about their charmed life.
Even in this season of joy and good cheer, I don’t want the topic to die. I want it to be so cumbersome that The Church finally feels compelled to take it on with the passion that Jesus himself would have. In this modern day, what would Jesus say if he was interviewed by CNN? If they point-blank asked him, “Who do you think should be at the forefront of the movement for change?”
What would he say?
I think he would weep.
He would break down right on camera because his answer would be, “My people.” He would be struck with sadness because he left us clear instructions and we are ignoring them. He would have gut-wrenching sobs at how his children—who claim his salvation―bathe themselves in his grace and mercy, and live in the most blessed country on the planet, turn a blind eye to those who need his love.
We aren’t doing our job. Sure there are those who dedicate their lives to the mission and others who fund great organizations, but they make up a small percentage of the population that claim Jesus as their savior. I am feeling convicted and moved to do more. The night that the Ferguson decision came down, I stayed up entirely too late reading the social media ammo. Both sides were troubled. Both sides felt pain. And both sides knew there was no victory to be had regardless of the decision the courts handed down. Life was lost. Pain was exposed. The deep ugly of this country rose to the surface and was put in front of those of us who can usually avoid acknowledging its existence.
I am one of those.
I am the quintessential suburban housewife. I love to just drop my kids off at school and go to Target where I stop by the Starbucks at the front door and grab my Grande (insert the hottest flavor of the season) Latte and break out my smartphone and open up the store app and start plugging away at my list and save 5% on top of that. I feel great about it because they will also donate to my local public elementary (of which my children are slowly joining the ranks). I have someone who comes to my house once or twice a month to clean my toilets and I go to book club once a week. I serve at church, but am careful about over committing. We give more than 10% of our money away. Not so much that it hurts per se, but more than most. I live in a subdivision and barely know my neighbors. My Facebook timeline displays a stellar life of ease and happiness, which for the most part is a pretty true representation of my life.
These stereotypical characteristics of a thirty-something, suburban housewife are not unique to me. They are also not all true, all the time, but you get the point. I read over that description and I am bothered by it. Not because of the activities, but because of the apathy implied. My heart is not broken for the lost, the hurting, or the “have-nots.”
It should be.
I am not asking everyone to wear the sorrow of the world’s brokenness on their face 24/7. I am simply saying that I want to think about it more. I want to ask our Heavenly Father what—specifically—I am supposed to do to fulfill the call to care for others. Not all of us will be burdened for the poor, the single mom, the special needs child, the elderly, etc. I am saying that too many of us aren’t asking. We are giving to satiate the guilt that would hang around if we didn’t, instead of putting it all at his feet and asking what part of the resources we’ve been entrusted with should be used for Kingdom work. This could be time, physical exertion, money, goods, services, or other talents. No two people will have the exact call from God, but most of us just aren’t asking.
I am. I am asking now.
What is my individual assignment?
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”
Matthew 25:35