When in the natural course of a man’s journey, he finds he is at an impasse between the reality of his situation and the natural fears he harbors regarding that reality, there demands but one course of action. To deny the reality ultimately is to deny his own heart and to call the God he worships a liar and a fraud, which by His nature is impossible. In this regard, the variable is not the nature of God, but the response of his supposed humble servant. If there is but one Truth, and all others are false, than there must be one action, which though arduous, is nonetheless non-negotiable. Our comfort has never been of much concern to God, so why should we give it any of ours?
The truth is the best of us, at any given moment, has been led astray by lies. We have chosen security over risk, comfort over difficulty, blind ignorance over awareness, and peaceful coexistence over confrontation. We have seen the two principal characters that dominate all four of the Gospels: Jesus and the Pharisees. We have publicly lauded the former, while privately comporting ourselves to the latter; and when push came to shove, even openly embracing the latter. We have, in spite of our stated creed, shown contempt for all that He stands for in the name of an ethic, which is neither historically accurate nor
biblically permissible. We have seen the suffering of others and talked about costs; we have witnessed cruelty and injustice and acted timidly - worse, we were indirectly culpable in that suffering through our support of policies that wreaked unspeakable carnage on those who were guiltless in the eyes of the Lord; we have listened to the lies of the enemy and were complicit; we have been challenged to speak out and shrugged our shoulders in indifference. We have stood on principles that are about as secure as quicksand and remained steadfast in our arrogance, confident we were doing God’s bidding. We have, to put it bluntly, behaved shamefully in the eyes of the One who sent us.
And what evidence can we offer up as a rebuttal? Our good works? Our good deeds? Which works? Which deeds? We feed a few people, encourage newcomers to accept Jesus as their Lord and savior, attend weekly group meetings, pray for deliverance from our petty pains of the day and sing a bunch of songs that supposedly represent our act of worship. But in the end nothing changes. Where is the hand of Jesus in all this when many of the very same people who run the vast majority of these supposed ministries do not believe in the core tenants of their own faith? That the words “God helps those who help themselves” do not appear anywhere in the Bible and should be an affront to all they hold true, is irrelevant. That those less fortunate go without basic needs is of no great concern to them. They speak of charity but have none to give. They have professed to pick themselves up by their own bootstraps and condemn all who have not the means to do likewise. Their convoluted logic is wrapped in a flag that they worship above the cross our own Savior carried to his death. They trade in the true role models of the Bible for those of their country and then deliberately misrepresent what those very same countrymen stood for. They concoct scenarios in which gremlins and
boogymen from the government will take away their life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, all the while professing a devotion to a God who long ago sacrificed his own life, liberty and happiness for our sake and demanded the very same from his children. They know not that their hearts expose their very deeds. They are oblivious to the fact that the Lord sees all. They are lost in their self-aggrandizing.
These are the ambassadors of our faith. They sit in positions of leadership, well versed in biblical scripture, but ignorant to its meaning. They are eager to pray for each other and “praise” His name out of one side of their mouths, while spewing utter nonsense and hate out the other. Without quite realizing that their hypocrisy cancels out whatever credit may have been afforded them, they are nothing if defiant. They are like
Sméagol becoming
Gollum, consumed by a worship of something hideous and ungodly, yet unaware of its all-consuming power. By throwing in with the enemy they have become his ambassadors. The truth can longer stir them to repentance. They are dead to it.
They are on TV, radio and the print media, spinning lies and mocking the very faith they claim to represent, imploring others to join them in the march to damnation. But they are also sitting at home, nodding in tacit agreement with those very same lies, and actively spreading the word among their fellow cellmates and
cyber comrades. Know this much: God sees not the distinction and forgets not the transgressions. Whether it is actively engaging in actions that aid and abed the kingdom of darkness, or whether it is the act of indifference towards that kingdom, the result is the same to God. These lost souls speak of truth, yet know nothing but lies. They are worse than the Pharisees, for the Pharisees did not know Jesus before his arrival. They have no excuse.
But that is not my principle concern here. That there exists within this world men and women who commit evil, and, along with their conspirators, speak lies has been apparent since we crawled up from all fours and began expressing cogent thoughts among each other. What wounds me deeply is how such evil is dealt with within the Church. This is where it gets personal. This is where all of us who know better must do better.
I speak now about a group which I fear represents the saddest lot of all: those of us who know the truth, who have ventured occasionally out of our comfort zones to speak it, but remain on the sidelines, unwilling to completely immerse ourselves for fear of retribution, or under some misbegotten belief that our position of authority or standing precludes us from speaking up. The warning of John to the Church in
Sardis in the Book of Revelation serves as a
wakeup call.
“These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Are not all of us commissioned to speak out against injustice, to stand up for those who are less fortunate, to challenge lies with truth and paranoia with reason, to act as Paul did when he rebuked James? Did not Jesus rebuke Peter? Did He not love him nonetheless? Why are so few of us willing to stand our ground when presented with the unalterable conclusions of our lot? Are we exempt simply because we are church elders, senior and associate pastors, small group leaders, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, doctors and nurses, lawyers and bankers, athletes and journalists, politicians and statesmen, salespeople and consumers, professors and students? What is the level of our comfort that keeps our mouths shut when our spirit cries out in anguish? Is our new suit too delicate to be soiled if only just a little? Perhaps a new car, the mortgage payment, or the children’s tuition hangs in the balance. What reputation is it we seek to protect when God’s people cry out for justice and we turn away? Did Jesus care about his reputation or his ministry?
All of us know the answers to the above questions. They are as undeniable as they are irrevocable. And yet the enemy continues his lies with nary a peep out of us. The more timid our response, the more arrogant his. Know this: God sees our hearts as well. There will be no comfort or resting place for those who knew the truth yet hid away in relative anonymity for fear of retribution. God’s wrath is far more devastating and enduring than any slight we might have to withstand from a wayward disciple waltzing his way down the road to oblivion. Our hearts are not the issue here; it is our strength of will. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and many a timid follower has fallen victim to the greatest lie of all: that someone else will pick up the mantle. We must always remember two things: our merit alone cannot save us and our fears are unjustifiable before God. Temerity is not a trait one inherits; it’s one he develops, like muscles, through constant exercise. And atrophied of the soul is the greatest sin of all.
When we pass from this world to the next, God will have something to say to each of us. He will either say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” or he will say, “I do not know you.” The sad truth is we have it within us to control that moment. It requires a brave heart, and a resounding faith that, though it may anger others and bring about scorn and ridicule, rejoices in the knowledge that God’s favor is eternal. I have struggled mightily with what response is appropriate in situations where lies are touted as facts, fear trumps reasoning and darkness blots out light, and have come to the only conclusion possible. It is not enough to occasionally poke one’s head out of the ground and politely instruct those who are not interested in learning anything of import. Nor is it sufficient to “pray” for those we know are blind to the truth in the
naïve hope that their eyes will be opened. History has shown that such prayer is not redemptive; rather it is merely an excuse for us to feel better about ourselves. Did Jesus ever once pray for the Pharisees?
And what is it that we are praying for?
Devine intervention? If it has not yet occurred within the transgressor, assume it is not going to. Our concern, therefore, should not be the hurt feelings of the sinner, but the ramifications, both to us and to others, of the continuation of that sin. There are only four possible responses to such conduct. We can first agree with it and encourage it, which is unacceptable; we can disagree yet remain silent for fear of retribution, in which case we have, without quite realizing it, condoned the behavior – again unacceptable; we can disagree, but object sheepishly, hoping to encourage repentance, which is a cop out; or we can choose to stand firm and call it out forcefully, as though
exorcizing a demon from a possessed man.
One look at the Gospels is all you need do to discover which method Jesus preferred. And therein lies the rub and the challenge. Jesus chose the most difficult path of all; the one most likely to garner him the fewest friends and supporters, the path that virtually assured him his death. And yet when faced with the certainty of his fate – a fate he freely chose – he did not back down, but met it willingly. Imagine if we all had to endure what he did. Would we? Could we? The answer is of course not. In our best moments we are not even remotely capable of standing in his sandals. The good news is we don’t have to. He did it for us. But we are called to stand in the shoes that we were given and show the spine that He gave us. Our cross is not made of wood and nails, but it is uncomfortable nonetheless.
How many “friends” would we lose if we were truly fearless in our stances? How many times have we waxed poetically and danced around a subject we knew in our hearts was wrong, justified it on the grounds that it would be rude to speak up, rationalized that it was not our place to bring correction, or that our position did not afford us the option of pointing out wrongs? The answer is quite probably a lot. Who cares to be corrected, even if it is for their own good? Who would stand quietly by and be rebuked by a fellow believer? Few, if any.
But that is irrelevant. When Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind me Satan,” he could’
ve cared less if Peter liked being rebuked. He heard Peter behaving inappropriately and acted swiftly and definitively. His main concern was his soul, not his wounded pride. How many times would you guess that any of us have acted that swiftly or definitively? Over a lifetime maybe a handful if we are fortunate. It is not enough. Evil never rests, so why should any of us. Our reluctance to roll up our sleeves and take back the moral high ground the enemy has called his own is an anathema to our faith. Too many feeble and misguided Christians make the mistake of assuming that just because we are not to use the tools of this world to fight Satan, that God alone will protect us. The thousands who perished in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 serve as a sobering reminder that evil exists in this world and all too frequently wins its share of battles. Ask Job whether God “protected” him. We are required to suit up and be spiritual warriors in God’s army. We are actors on his stage, not spectators in the audience.
I have looked for a spine in a Church that is as feeble as a doddering old man in a nursing home and been found wanting. I have looked for a moral compass worthy of the ministry Jesus began 2000 years ago. It is not there. Oh, there are ministries that feed the hungry and house the homeless and to be sure they do good works. They are pacifiers only, for the real problem lies in the inescapable conclusion that the Church corporately and privately has bedded down with the oppressors of the afflicted. It is worse than the lawmakers of Jesus’ day; it resembles more the Roman Empire, corrupt and rotting from within. It is a shell of its once glorious self. The
martyrdoms of Peter and Paul are nothing more than symbols of a mostly dogmatic religion that long ago lost the meaning of why those men so freely gave up their lives.
While there a few notable exceptions to this rule - small churches whose light occasionally permeates the darkness - the very simple truth is that they are far too small, and way too ineffective to make a difference. And even when the pastors of these sanctuaries manage to stay out of the political fray that has engulfed the Church as a whole, the vacuum that ensues, far from creating the apolitical environment they had wished for, actually encourages the sort of conduct that now defines most of our faith in the eyes of the world. The result is that these parishioners end up “representing” and “dominating” the congregation’s message. If you want to know what a church stands for, you
needn’t look at its literature; all you need do is visit the
facebook, twitter and
myspace pages of its members. In between the “have a blessed day” and “Jesus is good” exhortations, lies the painful and ugly truth that reveals the nature of the spiritual malady that besets many of them. It’s all there in black and white. What people say in open forums or in chat rooms is far more revealing and damning than what they say at the alter on a Sunday morning service. But what gets left unsaid and unchallenged by the stewards of these churches and the rest of their congregations is far more lasting. Where is the outrage to such ignorance? One can only conclude that its absence is due either to denial of its existence or a tacit agreement with its tone; neither is acceptable.
Whether it is the spiritual and social tunnel vision so widely adhered to by the majority of evangelicals or being on the wrong side of virtually every major cause of the day, the silence is deafening! How can any of us condemn moderate Muslims for failing to call out the extremists within their ranks, when our mouths remain shut where it concerns our own miscreants?
Ever since it left its fledgling days behind, the Church has married itself to power structures that were at odds with the very message of the Gospels. First the Holy Roman Empire, then the assault throughout Europe during the Crusades; then Feudalism, then Mercantilism, and now Capitalism. Most of the Protestant Ethic, so widely quoted by latter-day biblical gurus, is nothing more than a self-justification of the same rubbish the followers of Calvin adopted after his death. Those who are saved are blessed with prosperity, and those who are blessed with prosperity must be saved. Satan always completes his circles. For those who would argue that the Church did stand against the tyranny of Communism and fascism, I would counter only when it was threatened by a force inimical to its own vested interests did it finally find its voice and lash out. How much courage does it take to speak out against a totalitarian regime?
Many will say, and perhaps rightly so, that Jesus was ambivalent toward the established government, and chose instead to focus his attention on the religious leaders of the day. Fair enough. It was, after all, our hearts he was looking to capture. But while he remained mostly silent on the perversions and injustices of the Roman Empire, his ministry was filled with parables that spoke about greed, corruption, selfishness, pride and arrogance. Can anyone with half a mind dare suggest that the current economic system employed by the West and touted by so many conservative evangelicals is not loaded with these traits? With a few notable exceptions, most of the financial gains of the last two hundred years have come on the backs of those in relatively powerless positions. The very same disenfranchised flock that Jesus came to deliver has been exploited by the power brokers who call Christianity their own. That the Church has not disowned them is an abomination.
Were Jesus physically alive today, would he not behave much like he did when he walked into the Temple and drove out the money changers? Would he not say to the wealthy of today, “Sell all your possessions and give to the poor?” Are we not commanded to do as Jesus did? But, you would say, are these not impractical demands? Of course they are and one would certainly doubt the sanity and wisdom of any God who would expect his children to live in such abject poverty. Then why are our hearts so indifferent to the sufferings of those who do live in such squalor conditions? If it is unjust and unreasonable to expect us to
forego our personal possessions for the sake of being humble, why is it permissible to allow others to do so? Is humility only for the poor?
Claims by supposedly “mature” Christians that the Church’s main purpose should not be to involve itself in the machinations of the world, are as reprehensible and hypocritical as the rebuking these modern-day Pharisees bestow on the conscientious objectors that occasionally dent their ranks. For one thing, the Church has had a long and well established involvement with the politics of the world, mostly on the wrong side; for another the largest offenders have been anything but apolitical in their stances. They have, if anything, been advocates for conservative movements that rarely, if ever, adhere to Christian principles. They are experts at what they stand against - abortion, same-sex marriage, global warming, universal
healthcare, government assistance programs - yet rarely speak out for the poor and disenfranchised, as Jesus did, preferring instead to speak of some master plan God must have in store for them, as if that alone would mollify their discontent. To quote Ebenezer Scrooge, “Are there no workhouses?” And when they do find causes, like making sure we all say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays - as if that alone could instill a spirit of Christ within the world – it becomes comical and downright sad.
Those of us who dare question the motives of these charlatans are called liberals, lefties, socialists, enemies of freedom, un-Christian, or simply disruptive and bringing disharmony to the Body. We are made to feel as though it is
we who have the problem, not them. Can’t we all just drink the Koolaid and get on with the business of indoctrinating the ignorant and scorning those with the brains to know better?
Balderdash!
Such scoundrels not only miss the forest for the trees, they miss the trees as well. When Jesus fed the multitudes, did he ask who had a job first? Did he call them lazy oafs looking for a handout? What is it that these people are looking for? An engraved invitation? Perhaps the heavens will open up and the Almighty himself will call them out? If the only litmus test of our faith is our sexual purity or the quality of our financial portfolio, we are indeed lost. We should be advocates for the poor to the fullest extent, even if it means challenging the very economic system that caused their poverty in the first place. Archbishop Óscar Romero of El Salvador, a proponent of Liberation Theology, was assassinated by extremists in his country for speaking out against human rights violations and for defending the poor. Mahatma Ghandi, who almost single-handedly won India’s independence from Britain through non-violent civil disobedience, was likewise assassinated by extremists in his country who disapproved of his stance toward Pakistan. Martin Luther King, Jr., a prominent civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, who lead the famous “March on Washington” in 1963, was assassinated in his own country for his stance on racism and segregation. All three men saw injustice and rebelled against it; all three men placed their principles ahead of their personal safety; and all three men paid the ultimate price. Where are the Romeros, Ghandis and Kings of our generation?
I have always felt that true Discipleship should mean more than just signing up people to join a religious movement. We are not the Price Club, so why do we behave as though we are? Disciples making Disciples is supposed to mean more than just increased attendance at the 9:30 Sunday service. It should mean instilling a yearning to know the true heart of Jesus. And that heart, if we are sincere, should cause us to squirm in our seats at the knowledge of just how far we fall short of his standards. Furthermore, it should produce in all of us a righteous anger towards anyone who would challenge those standards, regardless of social or political status, or even if they are church leaders.
But aren’t we called to obey our religious leaders whom we’re told represent Christ on Earth? And isn’t criticizing our leaders a sign of disobedience? Actually, we are called to obey Jesus. Was Jesus being disobedient when he called the religious leaders of his day a “brood of vipers” not once, not twice, but three times in the Gospel of Matthew? Was Paul being disruptive for rebuking the churches in his letters when they had strayed from the true message of Christ? I think not. In deed for the Son of God, Jesus was about as unorthodox a prophet as any in the Bible. He had little use for conventional wisdom and often challenged his Disciples to think outside the box. He was blunt and, when it suited him, rude towards his adversaries, shunning those he viewed as proud and arrogant, while bestowing compassion and mercy on those he viewed as meek and powerless. When Michael Jackson died last year the hordes of supposed Christians who derided his lifestyle was embarrassing. In deed, it was the world that comported itself with far more compassion than many of our own flock. Once more the “voice” of Christianity missed the boat, if not fell off it entirely. That they “worship” a God who hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes still continues to allude many of them. Their ignorance is astounding.
Why then with such a shining example within its midst does the Church insist on watering down the very reason for its existence? Why are so few Christians bothered enough by the injustices of the world to take a stand and walk the path their Lord walked two millennia ago? Why are so many so quick to judge the wicked around them, while ignoring the wickedness that resides within their hearts? And why are so many of us “afraid” to call it out?
Well, as Bob Dylan once wrote, “It ain’t me babe.” I am tired of scratching my head wondering what to do, when the answer has been right there in front of me all along. A little over four years ago I stood at a crossroads in my walk and pondered giving up on the Church altogether, such was the toxic atmosphere gripping it. A very wise and Godly man convinced me to stay and face my demons. He encouraged me to write about what troubled me most in the Church. For him, it showed more courage to stand my ground and speak my peace than it did to pull up stakes and run. After all, when faced with death threats and imprisonment, Paul did not wither and retreat. He stood up to injustice and incurred the wrath of both the Jewish lawmakers and the Roman authorities. In the end it cost him his very life. And while I am no Paul, I do belong to the same faith he called his own; a faith that compelled him to chose martyrdom over comfort. What excuse could I find to toss in the proverbial towel as it were and high tail it?
I have been dwelling on the words from John 15: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” And while I realize it does violence to scripture to misquote it for personal gain, I feel strongly that this passage is speaking to me and has for some time now.
But as a former pastor of mine had a habit of saying, “Now what?” What does one do when faced with such an indelible truth? I have always been a fan of Robert Frost, and greatly admired his epic poem, “The Road Not Taken.”
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
To the undiscerning eye, the poem seems to be encouraging self-reliance, not following where others have led. But I have always felt that, rather than advocating a preference, Frost is simply saying that choice is inevitable, but you never know what your choice will mean until you have lived it.
And that, after all, is the essence of life itself. We are, all of us, the sum total of our choices, good and bad, wise and unwise, popular and unpopular. What we fear most is not the choice itself, but the ramifications of that choice. Being brave is easy when no sacrifice is needed and everything goes your way. It’s the courage that we hold onto in the face of certain condemnation that defines our walk. The Bible is basically a collection of stories of people who took the road less traveled, and for them, as for us, that has made all the difference.
It is no less true for me. I have come to a fork in my road that I can no longer ignore. A decision must be made regarding the impasse that I spoke of earlier. I have agonized over this decision for quite some time now, and, while I am still torn inside, I am bound by an inner voice that simply will not be still any longer.
Since becoming a Christian in late 1991, and even before that I suspect, I have wondered what my purpose on this Earth was. And while I have never been one to hold back my feelings on matters that meant a great deal to me – hence my blog – I confess that it has been a bit of a crutch. As far back as I can recall, writing has always come easy to me, perhaps a bit too easy. While I was no Shakespeare, I took great comfort in knowing I could make persuasive arguments for just about anything I put my mind to. Even when I was in college, I was always the protagonist, questioning authority, searching for the truth wherever it might be, and looking more at the macro than the micro when it came to economics and society. You could say that has been my biggest asset and my biggest problem. While the world needs its poets and provocateurs, it also needs its foot soldiers too. Putting pen to paper is one thing; getting up on one’s feet and marching forward is quite another.
The truth is, I have not always practiced what I’ve preached. In deed I have been far more comfortable playing the role of the critic than the selfless servant. I have been stuck in neutral in my walk and the time has come to put my money where my mouth is. I cannot call others out for their abhorrent behavior, while sitting comfortably behind a keyboard. To continue to do so would be hypocritical. The paradoxical truth of Frost’s poem is that one cannot proceed down two divergent roads at the same time; in the end only one road can be taken. Historically, I have always chosen safety over uncertainty, and playing the Monday morning quarterback was the role of a lifetime. Well that comes to an end today. Safety and comfort have worn thin with me. Wherever my new road may lead I am determined to meet it head on, come what may.
I would be lying if I said I was not apprehensive about what lies ahead. And while I do not know as of yet how it will all unfurl, I am, if nothing else, defiant. This does not mean I will “disappear” or stop writing. Our assets are God-given, and I would certainly hope that I am capable of chewing gum and walking at the same time to use a colorful metaphor. No, the path I choose is to step out and make a difference. The more I look into it, the more intrigued I become with Liberation Theology. While opponents of it have often cited that it takes a narrow view of the Bible, it’s propensity for radicalism is strikingly analogous to the ministry of Jesus. I wonder what it would be like to belong to a church that was that much of an advocate for the poor and oppressed. If there is such a thing as social justice then its proponents will be the ones who bring it to fruition, and I intend to be there with them.
Men like Jim Wallis have made social justice their life’s work, and are living proof that politics and Christianity needn’t be a four-letter word to be effective and righteous. Many of the social causes of the ‘50s and ‘60s were championed by people just like him. Likewise, Richard Stearns, who wrote “The Hole in Our Gospel,” has devoted himself to bringing to light the injustices of our world and has challenged his readers to question the pursuit of the “American dream of health, wealth and happiness,” and instead consider how our choices impact others.
In April 1967 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke to a convocation of concerned clergy and laity at the Riverside Church in New York City. His words continue to challenge us four decades later.
It is with such activity in mind that the words of the late John F. Kennedy come back to haunt us. Five years ago he said, "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." Increasingly, by choice or by accident, this is the role our nation has taken, the role of those who make peaceful revolution impossible by refusing to give up the privileges and the pleasures that come from the immense profits of overseas investments. I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin...we must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.
A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies. On the one hand, we are called to play the Good Samaritan on life's roadside, but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho Road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life's highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that an edifice, which produces beggars needs restructuring.
A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth. With righteous indignation, it will look across the seas and see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa, and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say, "This is not just." It will look at our alliance with the landed gentry of South America and say, "This is not just." The Western arrogance of feeling that it has everything to teach others and nothing to learn from them is not just.
A true revolution of values will lay hand on the world order and say of war, "This way of settling differences is not just." This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into the veins of peoples normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice, and love. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.
America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values. There is nothing except a tragic death wish to prevent us from reordering our priorities so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war.
There has been enough pontificating on man’s inhumanity to man to fill a landfill. In every revolution there are men and women who have a vision and the will to carry it out. Jesus started with twelve apostles and look where we are now. If those of us who care about what He represents begin in earnest today, we can reshape this world and transform it into the land of plenty. We may wonder where to begin. It starts with rejecting what we know to be false, and then doing the next right thing the Lord puts in front of us. And while, like Jesus, prayer is essential to our strength, there are times when we spend a little too much time on our knees. The time to rise up is at hand. There are no insignificant servants or deeds on this journey. “Stand up! Stand up, for what you believe in. You know that God will back you up.” Those words come from a Veggie Tales song. Funny how songs work. They either remind us of what we once had or challenge us to grab what is within our reach. God gave us gifts to not only bless us, but to be a blessing to others. We can never fail so long as we remember that God does not call the equipped; he equips the called.
For those of you out there who feel as I do, have seen the terrible injustice and evil in the world, have become restless in your own journey, but privately wonder whether you have it in you to make a difference, I’ll leave you with this scripture from James 4:17. “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” God is watching and judging us. We are all in this together, and with the grace and strength that comes from above we will persevere!
er to controversy. Last February, the Alabama senator seemed to question the citizenship of Barack Obama by commenting on a rumor that spread like a cancer throughout the campaign.
e United States.”
