A Better World

This is the post I wrote for this week's Student Venues. I thought I'd share it here for my Sunday morning post. The records of the kings of Israel (Kings and Chronicles) show that when the king of Israel followed the commandments of God and cared for the people of God they were blessed by God and prospered. When the kings were evil and sought power, wealth, and personal gain things didn’t go so well.

The prophet Jeremiah laments the change after King Josiah dies and his evil sons take over. Through Jeremiah God says that we know him when we take care of the poor and those in need. “He judged the cause of the poor and the needy; then it was well. ‘Is this not to know me?’ declares the Lord” Jer 22:16

Although I will never be a king or rule over a great number of people, I think that we can still learn from the experiences of these ancient rulers. God’s message of taking care of the oppressed is timeless and it is for us as individuals as well as for us as a church community, a city, or a nation (or even a school or a family). When we lift up those around us, we all benefit. Taking care of others not only benefits our world now, but Jesus says that it benefits us eternally, as well.

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Matt 25:34-36

In this crazy world of 2020, how do we deal with the challenges that face us? Do I take care of my needs, get what I want, go where I want to go, do what I want to do, and not worry about others or the consequences of my action? Why should I--a mostly white, 60 year old retired guy--concern myself with the injustices faced by people of color, women, the LGBTQ+ community, the unsheltered or anyone else that is oppressed or lives with injustice?

Could the answer be as simple as -- Because it’s the right thing to do? Would the world be a better place with less injustice and more equality? Over and over, Jesus teaches that we should love our neighbor, love each other, care for those less fortunate. Perhaps a good beginning would be for us to simply acknowledge the injustice around us.

The bible says that Jesus looked on the people that followed him with compassion (Matt 9:36) Compassion literally means with (com) suffering (passion). When we see others, do we see their suffering? Can we feel their pain? Can we do anything to relieve them of their burden?

It’s been about three years since my wife and I have been coming to The Venues. The biggest factor in our choice to continue to come here was (and still is) the way The Venues actively pursues serving and helping those in need. It seems that there are always places that we can join our church community in service.

But I also know that sometimes life can overwhelm us and it feels as if there is nothing that we, as individuals can do to help someone. Sometimes just acknowledging their needs, letting them know that they are not alone, letting them know they are loved is enough. And that’s something we can all do -- make the world feel a little more loved, one person at a time. A little more love seems like a good place to start in making a better world.