I started this post in Nov. 2016 before the first #MuslimBan, then #Charlottseville happened, and now #DACA (deporting children and young adults who grew up in, and contribute to America, because they were not born in the U.S.). Even now, the political developments are whirlwind-like.
The call to protect our people | our borders | our way of life | were fierce already before the election, but look at U.S. now…
This election amplified aspects of America (and the world) that have been hidden from mainstream media’s eye. But festering wounds can never be healed with bandaids and as all things eventually come to Light, Love is mobilizing.
“Love is what Justice looks like in public” – Cornel West
One Texan responded to the first Muslim Ban with this heartfelt message outside a Mosque. Isn’t that what makes America Great? Heart.
Do you know the story of Jericho? A weak people verses a strong nation. It seemed a hopeless mission but God was in the mix. The victory was massive, but just one chapter later these heroes suffered a tremendous defeat.
What the heck happened?
Against a divine warning, one man took some goods from that initial Jericho raid and hid it with his stuff. It was an act of personal greed/self-gain and an Entire People suffered defeat, death and panic because of it.
Is it any different today?
If leaders become self-servers instead of Servants, entire Nations suffer, entire people groups are endangered, and as our global connection reaches wider and deeper than ever before, everything is worse.
The actions and policies of One can affect millions.
Just look at the Global Gag order— one signature is changing the life, health and security of millions of people–particularly the most vulnerable– all over the world.
But hey, America, like any Nation, has problems, and as Aleksander Solzhenitsyn, a Russian writer, noted:
“the line separating good and evil (or love and hate) passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties –but right through every human heart– (quoted in Subversive Jesus, Craig Greenfield)
So if our darkness always remains hidden–or worse, becomes acceptable— we’ll never see our need, nor ability, to fight it.
Are we content with shelters that can boast of feeding homeless persons for 50 years (only after they’ve listened to a sermon—wow, religion really steals/steels our humanity), or do we roll up our sleeves and try to change the System that allows– or even enforces– such poverty?
Breaking the Berlin Wall
So what’s the point of this post?
1. Loveless actions of a few can make things horrible for the many, and at the same time, small actions of Love can make a great difference!
2. If you’re fired up about injustice, inequality, oppression, abuse and any suffering of your fellow man, woman, child, creature.. keep going and bringing your light to the darkness–even if others (especially the “churched”) think you’ve lost your mind.
And never forget this: the great thing about discovering dirt under a rug is you have the opportunity to clean it.
In all your passion and ferver to make/bring difference to the world, don’t lose sight of the core of the Revolution: It’s not just about setting the oppressed free, but the “oppressors” themselves. Because as long as people become slaves to their desires for more, bigger, better, power, money, self- satisfaction, gain, etc.. none of us will be free.
* I highly recommend Subversive Jesus if you sense Jesus is not just some “nice guy” you want to have tea with after a Sunday service. Afterall, if he didn’t cause so much trouble, if he wasn’t labelled a rebel and if he didn’t try to turn the whole system on its head, no one would’ve wanted him dead, right?
https://twitter.com/JasNotes/status/823162163007291393
Known Photo Credits:
-Berlinner breaking the wall: AP Photo/John Gaps III
-Texan with Sign is Mr .Justin Normand, article in Washington Post
