Thursday, August 30, 2012

Caring for the Poor is OUR Biblical Role -- You. Me. Everyone.

This morning, Jim Wallis published an article on his "God's Politics" blog with the title "Caring for the Poor is Government's Biblical Role."   Here's how it begins:

There is hardly a more controversial political battle in America today than that around the role of government. The ideological sides have lined up, and the arguments rage about the size of government: how big, how small should it be? Some famously have said government should be shrunk so small that it "could be drowned in a bathtub."

But I want to suggest that what size the government should be is the wrong question. A more useful discussion would be about the purposes of government and whether ours is fulfilling them. So let's look at what the Bible says.

It's a good read, and Jim definitely knows his Bible. But I've got two big problems with it. And just so I don't become just one more internet naysayer taking potshots at someone else's writing ... I think the problems also point us to definite positive courses of action.

In a country whose constitution says "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," while my own opinions about governments role may be shaped by the Bible, those views should not carry any more or less weight than any others in our national discussions. I should not expect government at any level to automatically adapt to a Biblical definition of anything.

What the article doesn't say (but I know Jim Wallis knows and deeply believes) is that whether or not it is government's role to take care of the poor it is certainly not JUST government's role. The Bible ... particularly the Gospels ... are very clear about that.

In Matthew 25 when Jesus says that he is present in the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the prisoner and that our very fate and salvation depends on whether we care for those people on an individual basis in that need. When Jesus tells the man who has fulfilled all the law the one thing he lacks is to "sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."  ... it is very clear that he is saying each one of us has individual responsibility to help the poor both as individuals and as a class of people.

Now, you might say, "well, of course, that's a given." Well ... no, it's not. Because if you are a liberal who has never had this conversation with conservatives, you might be surprised to find that an article like Jim Wallis' will likely evoke the reaction of "those liberals just want government to take care of everything."  Many conservatives I know see thinking like Jim's article not as a challenging of the government to strive for the common good but an abdication of our own responsibility and making the poor "someone else's problem."



In my experience, all but the most extreme among us believe there is legitimate purpose for government and that purpose involves (to varying degrees) things like:

*Doing together those things that can't be done alone (e.g. defending the nation)
*Ensuring that basic rights enumerated in the Constitution are secured
*On some level protecting us from a self-interest of the present moment run amok and working toward the long-term thriving of the whole nation, not just an individual or a community (what is seen as a strategic planning and internal regulatory role of the board of a company -- this is definitely the most debated of the three!)

I personally don't know anyone -- liberal or conservative -- who wants people to die hungry in the streets. I do know plenty of people who disagree about what is the appropriate role of government in preventing that from happening. And if, like me, you are a Christian, by all means, have your opinion shaped by the Bible ... please!

But as Christians ... liberal, conservative and everywhere in between ... can we all agree that this argument is secondary at best? Regardless of what you think the role of government is, none of us can argue that Jesus invites us -- each and every one of us --  to meet him and serve him in the poorest of the poor ... and in fact to give all of ourselves to love and follow him in that way.

What if before spending our energy fighting over the role of government in caring for the poor, each and every one of us who professes to be a Christian took personal responsibility for helping the poor, the weak, the sick, the lonely, the thirsty, the prisoner, the prostitute -- the weakest among us.

What if each one of us who sits in a church on Sunday made sure that before we sat in that church again, we had done something to help one of those people make it to tomorrow and/or ... even better ... help them be able to better not need that help tomorrow or the next day or the next.

What if for one year, every one of us who has shouted an opinion about the role of government during this election cycle pledged to personally on a weekly if not daily basis live into Jesus' call to personally take responsibility for our most vulnerable sisters and brothers.

Then after that year is done, we look around and see how much of the problem still exists. My guess is if we all took that personal responsibility first, the appropriate role of government would become a lot more obvious to everyone.

Caring for the poor may very well be the Biblical role of government. But we know for sure that caring for the poor is OUR Biblical role -- You. Me. Everyone.

Interested in following Jesus in this way ... and I know MANY of you already are  ... here are some ministries we at Christ Church Cathedral are a part of to contact to give to or to volunteer through. Feel free to leave more in the comment section. And remember, what Jesus invited us to do in Matthew 25 doesn't take an organization. It can be as simple as buying someone a sandwich when they ask you for money on the street. It can be listening to someone, learning their name, sharing stories and praying with them. It can be listening deeply to the voices of the poor so you can carry that voice to the places of power and influence and privilege you frequent. And, as with all things, keep on praying for guidance and for the gift of joy and wonder along the way!

*Miss Carol's Breakfast (Saturday mornings at Christ Church Cathedral)  - contact Tom and Kathy Rogers.
*CCC"s ministry at The Bridge at Centenary United Methodist Church -- contact Jane Mayfield
*Magdalene St. Louis -- contact me or Celeste Smith
*Episcopal City Mission - contact Dannie Franklin
*Mission Malawi: Our Partnership with Nkope Clinic and Anglican Church in Malawi -- contact Jennifer Grant or Mary De Hahn.
*Missouri and Lui: Companions in Christ ... our companion relationship with the Diocese of Lui in South Sudan -- contact Evelyn Smith or Mary Seager
*Habitat for Humanity -- contact Lennell Jackson

I'm sure I've forgotten some. Leave them in the comments. 

What do you think???

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