Sep 13, 2012
Sep 5, 2012
Jesus did not say....
Jesus said give all you have to the poor.
Jesus did not say give all you have to the poor only if they would be willing to work.
Jesus did not say give all you have to the poor if they deserve it.
Jesus did not say give all you have to the poor if they are Caucasian.
Jesus said to love your neighbor.
Jesus did not say to love the neighbor who thinks like you do.
Jesus did not say to love the neighbor who treats you right.
Jesus did not say to love the neighbor who loves you back.
Jesus said to seek justice.
Jesus did not say to only seek justice for issues that will benefit you.
Jesus did not say to seek justice for those who deserve it.
Jesus did not say to seek partial justice.
Jesus said to care for the widows and orphans.
Jesus did not say to care for the widows and orphans in your own country first.
Jesus did not say he cared how they got in their situation.
Jesus did not say to isolate single/young moms into a stigma impossible to escape.
Jesus expects us, as Christians, to be him on earth. And that is a lot more radical than signing a check, attending a church, or having a bumper sticker. Today with my youth we talked about being the body of Christ. They started to see that God has placed them where they are with a purpose, and they are all needed. every. last. one. Jesus did not say that only the people who deserve health care, are the people who work for it. Jesus did not say that the only people to deserve to eat, are the people willing to work. Jesus did not tell us that our focus needed to be on politics, social programs, or broad issues. Maybe if the church would step up and do what Jesus said we wouldn't need things like Food Stamps, WIC, or Medicare. Jesus did not say that issues about people are more important than actual people. Jesus did not say we should treat someone different because of the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, or their life choices. Jesus was not a Republican. More importantly, Jesus was not an American.
Who are we really trying to please? Who is really benefiting from what we do? Who are we really trying to be?
Jesus did not say give all you have to the poor only if they would be willing to work.
Jesus did not say give all you have to the poor if they deserve it.
Jesus did not say give all you have to the poor if they are Caucasian.
Jesus said to love your neighbor.
Jesus did not say to love the neighbor who thinks like you do.
Jesus did not say to love the neighbor who treats you right.
Jesus did not say to love the neighbor who loves you back.
Jesus said to seek justice.
Jesus did not say to only seek justice for issues that will benefit you.
Jesus did not say to seek justice for those who deserve it.
Jesus did not say to seek partial justice.
Jesus said to care for the widows and orphans.
Jesus did not say to care for the widows and orphans in your own country first.
Jesus did not say he cared how they got in their situation.
Jesus did not say to isolate single/young moms into a stigma impossible to escape.
Jesus expects us, as Christians, to be him on earth. And that is a lot more radical than signing a check, attending a church, or having a bumper sticker. Today with my youth we talked about being the body of Christ. They started to see that God has placed them where they are with a purpose, and they are all needed. every. last. one. Jesus did not say that only the people who deserve health care, are the people who work for it. Jesus did not say that the only people to deserve to eat, are the people willing to work. Jesus did not tell us that our focus needed to be on politics, social programs, or broad issues. Maybe if the church would step up and do what Jesus said we wouldn't need things like Food Stamps, WIC, or Medicare. Jesus did not say that issues about people are more important than actual people. Jesus did not say we should treat someone different because of the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, or their life choices. Jesus was not a Republican. More importantly, Jesus was not an American.
Who are we really trying to please? Who is really benefiting from what we do? Who are we really trying to be?
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