Your family, your job, your friends, your car, your house, your status in society, your pet dog, your cable TV, your favourite chair, your freedom? In our current climate of political, social, economic and technological change, the things we value can come under threat and so we hold them closer to our chest, become more attached to them and they play an even more prominent role in how our lives are shaped and what we shape our lives around.
I wonder if we ever take time to reflect upon why we value these things, what motivates us to want to fight for them? Does it boil down to what we ultimately believe in? How do we react when they come under threat and we are at risk of losing them? Why do we value such things? Is it about self preservation and worth, about a
good feeling, is it because that’s what really matters to us?
When a friend of mine visited Australia after being away for a period of time, he was surprised to hear that there was a new federal political party initiated by Christians called ‘Family First’. He rattled his brain wondering why they would choose family, first as an agenda for a Christian voice in federal politics, and I heard him say, ‘because Jesus is quite clear about what needs to come first…’ He didn’t pad that response out for me but rather left me wondering.
I subscribe to ‘Sojourners’ online newsletter. Jim Wallis is a constant contributor to the newsletter and recently a speech he made n Washington D.C. was published. Here’s an excerpt I thought I’d leave you with to ponder. Part of a speech from Jim Wallis:
“We are gathering here in the season of Pentecost, as we have done now for 10 years. It is the season when we celebrate the church coming down from that upper room into the streets with the power of the Spirit to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. The good news that he proclaimed in his opening mission statement in the little town of Nazareth: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor."
To a church whose mission statement hasn't always reflected his, we are here simply to say this: whatever else the gospel of Jesus Christ is able to change about our lives - overcome our sinful habits and addictions, save our marriages and families, make us responsible people - IF the gospel that we preach does not "bring good news to the poor," well then, it is simply not the gospel of Jesus Christ - and it is about time that we said that.
To the political leaders of this capitol city, and from the places you all live across this country, we are here to say something else: the days when you could win the support of the religious community by merely speaking the language of family values and the sacredness of life while ignoring the desperate plight of poor people in this wealthy nation and around the world are over. Because for a growing number of people of faith across the political spectrum, you will now be held accountable for how the leadership you offer and the policies you support impact the lives of those whom Jesus called "the least of these." You see for many of us, poverty is also a life issue and as our bumper sticker says "Poverty is NOT a family value!".”
Jim Wallis – ‘Sojourners Magazine 30/6/06’
Shalom
Mark
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9 comments:
Well Mark, what am I doing? It is now 1.10am and I am commenting to your blog?
What do you think of the command to preach the good news to the poor? Let me explain. Undoubtably, social injustice is something that angers God (see Is 1.16-17 and random examples in New Testament). However, would you agree that there are many ways in which a person could be poor (such as spiritual, emotionally, physically)? Also, wasn't it the case that in the time of Jesus, the physically poor were also deemed spiritually poor (as bearing the wrath of God) and therefore excluded from the community?
Thus 'preaching the Good News to the poor' may have a wider application than what seems to be implied in your blog. Is it possible that preaching the God News to the poor could mean seeing the people that nobody else sees and loving them? Or, to put it slightly differently, seeing what other people do not. That is, when someone hungers, feed them.
I seem to recall that when the Mother Teresa came to Australia on a trip, she was shocked as she had never seen so many poor people.
Just a few thoughts. Don't ask for coherency though. Its 1.30am now.
In Christ,
Capsicum Red (ask your wife).
Hi Capsicum Red? I still have no idea what that means (and neither does my wife) I can take a couple of guess as to who this is and I'll assume you know me. Having said that I'll assume a fair bit in my response without giving you the complete run down on my bent on social justice.
I am inspired by voices such as Ash Barker, Jim Wallis, Mick Duncan and the like because they are the voices we often don't like to hear yet speak a profound message of truth. Sure they may swing their focus dramatically into a particular agenda (some may say narrow agenda). However it is an agenda that has been largly ignored by the majority of 2 billion Christians on this earth today - God's heart for the poor. Now that's a huge call I know, but I've heard many a Christian down play this call to pay attention to the poor and say it's not for them.
Christianity in Western culture has generally side tracked the fundamental call to serve the poor and created a religion that 'is all about me and serving my needs'. This has been perpetuated by prosperity doctrine and the like, creating (in my view) a mass of passive 'Christians' who just want to sit back and 'receive the blessings of God'. Mick Duncan in his book 'Wild Ones' quotes Tony Campolo saying that many young Christians in their teens and twenties have simply fallen asleep and he feels like yell at them 'WAKE UP!'
So what do I think of the command to preach the Good News of the Gospel to the poor? I think it is the call of every person who dares to call themself Christian. Let me continue with one of my favorite quotes, St. Francis of Assissi said, 'preach the Gospel at all times but only if necessary use words.' This would suggest to me that our actions speak louder than words and so is the way we are to live out the Gospel (I learnt the meaning of this working with Christian Surfers).
In recent months I have discovered a broder view of poverty and this quote from Mother Thereasa helps me explain, 'The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved.' So I agree with you, poverty doesn't just exist in '3rd world countries' where people are unnecessarily dying of preventable hunger and cureable diseases, it exists all around us in the spiritually deprived, the lonely, unloved, etc. Poverty is all around us and we (Christians) are called to respond to it. I learnt a valuable lesson from a couple of colleagues at a recent ministers gathering about who the poor are and what social justice actually is. Christians encounter social justice issues every day when you think about it. There are people being taken advantage of, sick, needy, etc. There is a constant need for us to respond to injustice issues in the every day.
This whole Make Poverty History campaign for instance means more to me than what might be implied. Sure the celebrities push the focus to Africa and I support the need to respond to that and stop this 'stupid senseless poverty' as Bono from U2 would say. But I also think it's a wake up call to take a look at the would around us. I continue to wear my Make Poverty History band not as a fashion statement but to remind me of this call to serve and love the poverty stricken, even though I constantly fail to do so.
Ash Barker recently released a book titled 'Make Poverty Personal - the bibles call to end oppression'. I've only just begun to (finally) read it. John Smith wrote the Foreword in a way that only John can raising the questions that stir me because they are also my questions. So why isn't the call to serve the poor the dominant Christian message? I'm yet to see a TV evangelist take it seriously. Ash would say that the call to serve the poor is a dominant biblical thread yet many of us miss it. I look forward to really getting into the book. No doubt I'll attract more criticism (as I already have) for paying attention to the influences I've named, because these influencing voices make people uncomfortable. Why? Because if we take notice we are required to act and that would put us outside our comfort zones. However I see a truth that has itself been oppressed by the very people who are meant to live it out, it's called the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I'll leave this comment with one last thought from Mother Thereasa. "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty."
Thanks for the conversation starter. Cheers
Mark
Hey Mark,
A great Indian Catholic priest (who's name currently escapes me) gave me this framework that I find very helpful. It is levels of engagement:
1 - Relief
(Immediate, emergency, one off)
2 - Aid
(Short term, making up the chronic shortfall difference)
3 - Development
(Long term, capacity building, generational change)
4 - Political Engagement
(Challenging systems that ultimatley perpetuate the conditions that create the need for levels 1 thru 3. It is the "when I feed the hungry, they call me a saint, but when I ask why the hungry have no food, they call me a communist" type deal.)
Western Christianity is very comfortable at level 1, and grows increasingly more uncomfortable with every escalating step, and many do not know that the subsequent steps exist, or they are not able to connect them to faith.
Stop ranting and finish homework. I hope this helps...
One of the things I've come to value a lot over the last few years is hospitality. I think that hospitality addresses both physical poverty, and the more abstract forms of poverty. I think people need a community supporting them and working alongside them to address the sources of their poverty, just as much as they need help with food and shelter and other immediate needs.
Thanks for your responses Stephen and Chris.
If only it were so simple, because if it were 2 billion Christians would be doing just this and we would live in a very different world.
Stephen it seems even '1 - Relief' might be a stretch for some Christian communities. I agree many may not know that there are other steps in the process of seeking justice. I know it is a lonely battle at point 4 when many Christians will quite passionately proclaim that Christians have no business influencing or even talking about political systems. I couldn't think of a greater cause to sink my teeth into, to be able to help influence the reshaping of a world for the better.
Chris, I think the basic ast of hospitality is one of the most powerful yet confromting. I think what you guys do with Urban Seed is awesome. It is something we can all do wherever we are but sometimes even inviting the stranger into your home or even dwelling with them where they are is too much to ask. This is where I feel Western Christians in particular need to revisit their purpose for following Jesus. Whenever I stayed in villages in Vanuatu, hospitality and the embracing of the stranger was the most powerful thing I experienced. Being on the receiving end of hospitality in a strange land changed my life. Imagine what lives we could change if we could also embrace this basic act.
Mark
Hey Mark I'm with Christop. I'm not as intellectual as all of you but just to respond to your reference to 'family first'. I do feel that this party does 'push'- support social justice and all that it involves and I guess it was hard to come up with a name that encompasses all that they are 'on about'. A lot of the problems in our communities are because of the breakdown of the family unit...therefore 'family first' is a long way to addressing all the others.
Hi Mark! I will respond properly later to your 27/7 post. For now I think I agree mostly, tell you why later.
Just quickly though - capsicum red is a paint colour and I sometimes use it on the net. Felt like doing so at the time. I usually go by the name of "John". Hope this helps you :)
Yeah... umm all your replies are were the 27th. I meant the first. Cheers J.
Well, 'John' it looks as if posting at nearly 4am makes you a little incoherent as I didn't quite understand your last post. Now I have to work out which John you are, I think I know.
To 'anonymous' I hear what you are saying regarding 'family first' however I still think family is far from first on the Christian agenda. check out Luke 4:18-19 for an agenda check. Maybe they should call themselves 'justice first' and stop beating around the bush with side agendas that might get them to the really crutial stuff. Christians with influance in my view need to stop hidding behind 'politically correct' or 'sendimental' agendas and say what they really mean and what really needs to be said. Seeking justice is tough busniess and those Christians who make their agenda clear cop heaps for it. The closer we get to proclaiming truth and justice the more the powers of this world will try and silence it. Shout it out loud and clear I say.
Mark
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