Ditch or Niche?

I’ve been a full-time mom for the last 17 years. I’ve immersed myself in this role for so long that it’s a bit hard to get myself out. It’s like I dug myself into a ditch but got so comfortable that I decided it was my niche. I would do it all over again. I have never regretted taking on this role, and I’m sure I will look back on these years as the best two decades of my life.

The seasons are changing and the time is approaching for me to find a new gig. It’s time to find a new ditch… ahem… I mean niche ;-). A vocation where I can dig in and find my new mission. Although I have many interests, I’m not sure which one is meant to be my vocation and which ones should remain avocations. The books I read about the subject instruct me with clichés like, “Follow your bliss”. Basically, find whatever you are passionate about and figure out how to make a living at it. Well, I’ve also heard the phrase, “Ignorance is bliss”, which makes me wonder if following my bliss might have similar results to following my ignorance!

I know there is a perfect niche for this phase of my life. I wish I had clear instructions on what this next mission entails. I keep tuning in, waiting for the call.

In the World but not of It.

In my opinion, Dallas Willard is one of the greatest thinkers that are currently alive. When I read his thoughts, I feel like a welter weight in the ring with a heavy weight. I can only take it for a few minutes, but it sure is interesting! This morning, I was reading Willard’s insights on some verses from John, chapter 17:

“Being in the world for Christ today. In but not of. This is an interesting distinction. Think of a desert landscape. Dust and dryness as far as you can see. But right in the middle of it a spring of water bubbles up, forming a pool of life and refreshment for all who come by. Now the spring and the pool are in the desert but they are not of it. They do not partake of the nature of the desert but of rain and snow and limpid streams on far away mountains that feed the springs through hidden passageways in the earth.” (by Dallas Willard)

How can we be life-giving, nourishing streams in the desert without drying out? Some of the water in a desert stream will evaporate in the heat. Some will be used up by plants, animals, and people. Surface water that comes from occasional rain and fog can collect in pools and reserves just below the surface. This can be a useful source in the short-term. Yet, unless the source of a stream is an underground aquifer with a source far from the desert, it will eventually dry up. Similarly, if we depend on earthly resources, it’s just a matter of time before we run out or get used up by the world. If we are to be sustainable, we must be fed by an eternal source.

Cafeteria Christians

Many Catholics I know refer to themselves as ‘Cafeteria Catholics’. They disagree with many of the tenets of the Catholic church, so they pick what they like and ignore the rest.

C.S. Lewis says the following about an ideal Christian society:

“If there were such a society in existence and you or I visited it, I think we should come away with a curious impression. We should feel that its economic life was very socialistic…but that its family life and its code of manners were rather old fashioned…We have all departed from that total plan in different ways, and each of us wants to make out that his own modification of the original plan is the plan itself. You will find this again and again about anything that is really Christian: every one is attracted by bits of it and wants to pick out those bits and leave the rest.” (-from Mere Christianity)

I admit, I’m one of these ‘Cafeteria Christians’. I cherry pick the principles that I like and pretend the rest are not relevant to this time.

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” (James 1:27 NLT)

Although we see ourselves as Christians, our society is moving away from allocating resources to the underprivileged. We equate looking after the welfare of the poor with socialism. Likewise, we tend to ignore Bible verses that mention submission, obedience, divorce, selling all possessions, turning the other cheek, etc. We sift through Christ’s teachings according to current societal standards and then convince ourselves that our human modifications are part of the original plan.

Pink Slime

By now, most of you have heard about ‘pink slime’, a filler added to beef. We’ve all been eating it for years without being aware of it. Fillers and additives are so common that we’ve been programmed to accept them without objection.

In his book, Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis says the following about what a New Testament Christian society would look like: “Every one is to work with his own hands, and what is more, everyone’s work is to produce something good: there will be no manufacture of silly luxuries and of sillier advertisement to persuade us to buy them.”

Ouch! If I were to inspect my life carefully, I’d find a certain amount of filler. I don’t know if I manufacture silly luxuries, but I’m sure I consume and distribute my fair share of them.
 
How about our faith? Our churches are so different from the New Testament ideals. We spend more time and resources on recruiting new members than on serving the poor. If C.S. Lewis wrote a book of our current version of Christianity, he would probably title the book, Processed Christianity.

We’ve known about fillers in our lives for a long time. Unfortunately, we are willing to accept some pink slime in our faith as long as they keep it out of our meat.

Needing to Be Needed

My husband’s band covers a song titled, “I Want You to Want Me” (by the band Cheap Trick). The audience always sings along to the chorus…

“I want you to want me
I need you to need me.”

Yes, universal truths can occasionally be found in 70’s rock songs!

I recently had two separate conversations with close friends about our human need to be needed. These friends shared their wisdom, specifically about male and female roles in a marriage. (Warning: the rest of this post may not be politically correct.)

I want to be independent. I like to take care of others, but I don’t want to be a burden or limitation to anyone else. I’ve always had an aversion to damsels and princesses. My wise friends pointed out that this attitude does not necessarily lead to a healthy marriage. Most men have an innate sense of chivalry. They desire to protect, provide, and lead their families. Most of us complain that chivalry is dead, yet we don’t pause to think what killed it. In our desire to be capable, independent women, have we inadvertently eroded the gallantry of men?

Both men and women desire to be wanted and needed. Yet our culture encourages us to be self-reliant, which sometimes makes others in our lives feel superfluous. In a healthy marriage, spouses are sensitive to each other's needs, including the need to be needed.

Pity Party

I know that the phrase ‘pity party’ is associated with being negative. Yet I think it may be cathartic to have a real pity party. When a person is feeling really sad, it’s better to express it than bottle it up. If we can have parties to celebrate the positives, why can’t we get together to comfort those in grief?

I have a friend who is going through a rough time right now. I wish I could host a full-blown pity party in her honor. I would send out invitations to all her close friends. Everybody would wear comfy clothes and no make-up (cuz there’s going to be crying). As the guests arrive, there would be mournful music playing in the background while I hand everyone her own box of Kleenex. I would make sure there was plenty of therapeutic junk food. And then we would all listen, console, and comfort while she got all her emotions out… however long it takes to get it out of her system. I think having a pity party with good friends is better than having one all by yourself.

Sometimes a good cry purges a lot of grief. It’s an essential step towards healing. I’m all for positive thinking as long as we allow people to express sadness as well.

“For everything there is a season…
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4 NLT)

Rumbles of Trouble

“God is our refuge and strength,
Always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
And the mountains crumble into the sea.” (Ps. 46:1-2 NLT)

A close friend, who has been battling cancer, just got her PET scan results yesterday. The tests show new activity in four different locations. She has to undergo chemotherapy again next week. As usual, she is handling the news with grace, and unwavering faith.
I, on the other hand, am sinking into despair.

My first reaction, after hearing the test results was: Why God? This is so unfair!
After several hours of despondency, I am able to pray: God, you are the one who brought her through the troubles the last time, and the time before that. I trust you to take care of her.

On a daily basis, we hear rumors of natural calamities, economic meltdowns, instability, and chaos. When we hear rumbles of trouble, when we see our life crumbling, this is the time to remind ourselves that God is our refuge and strength.

Pushing Past Failure

Fear of failure paralyzes me. Every obstacle is magnified by this fear. I’m hesitant to attempt new tasks that might reveal my incompetence. Actual failure derails me. Like a train off its tracks, I become completely immobilized. Everything spills out and the mess is scattered for miles. There’s no getting back up and chugging along.

I’ve always admired people with the resilience to push past failure. They acknowledge their mistakes, use them as learning tools, bandage their wounds and move forward. They don’t sit around questioning, “Why me? If this is part of God’s plan, why is this so difficult?”

Winston Churchill said, “Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”

How can any one have that level of perseverance? Most people go through a period of discouragement after any failure. To enthusiastically move forward from failure to failure takes more audacity than I can muster.

Churning for Butter

When I was a young child, I remember watching my grandma churn butter. She would place milk in a small wooden barrel and move the paddle back and forth with her hands till the butter floated to the top. I would watch this mysterious process in wonder. I didn’t know that the fat was imbedded in the milk, since I couldn’t see it. Now I understand that the churning agitates the cream until it ruptures the fragile membranes that surround the milk fat.

When I feel beaten down, agitated, and whipped, I sense God churning for butter in my life. He knows that this is the only way to bring forth the rich, creamy essence that He has placed within me. So when I am stressed, disturbed, and in pain, I remember that this too is part of God’s purpose. It might take a long time of suffering before any results appear. Once godliness has been churned to the surface, it isn’t left there for all to see and admire; it is skimmed off to be used for God’s purposes.

"When Christianity becomes conscious of its innermost nature, it realizes that it is godliness rising out of inward constraint.” (Albert Schweitzer)

At some point in our faith journey, we become conscious of the inherent godliness within us. The fragile membranes that surround this sacred center have to be ruptured before grace can float to the surface.

Work Out Your Salvation

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philippians 2:12 ESV)

I’ve heard this verse interpreted in different ways. Sometimes it’s used to encourage people to individually work out their relationship with God. Faith can be a conundrum. So it’s natural to feel the need to work on it like it’s a complex math problem.

What does this verse mean to me?

Salvation is the process of being saved from a life without God to a life with God. This new life has a different focus than the old one. My faith is evolving, growing. Even as a child, I believed in the existence of God. Yet, I was focused more on my self than God. My faith was just a peripheral tool to get what I wanted from God.

Gradually, my relationship changed. My purpose became to know God intimately, to love Him passionately, trust Him unconditionally, and serve Him faithfully. In this new life, God is the purpose and goal. Everything else is peripheral.

Working out our salvation involves exercising this faith. We must actively put our strength and effort into pursuing God and His purposes. This requires more than studying, listening, and discussing. We can have all the information about weight loss, but unless we get up and work out, we won’t shed any pounds. An active, intentional faith allows us to gradually shed our old self-absorbed life, and transforms us into toned, sculpted, lovers of God.

Big Miracles and Small Wonders

“O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
I would never come to the end of them.” (Ps. 40: 5 NLT)

God’s wonders are so common that sometimes we take them for granted. As I read these verses, I started thinking of all the prayers that have been answered this year. They are too numerous to list, but I have to mention a few of them. Several family members and friends have been healed. A few have been released from addictive tendencies. Homes have sold, financial burdens have been lifted, and marriages have improved. Some who lived in darkness are now walking towards the light. Several difficult situations have been resolved. These are the big miracles.

Now for the small wonders: For the last 2 weeks, we have been getting new wood floors installed in our main living area. All our furniture had to be moved and life has been a bit chaotic with the workers pounding away and coming and going at all hours. Today I have things back in their places. I am thankful to be able to sit while I eat my meals, write at my desk, and read in my chair. Once again, I have some order, quiet, and privacy in my life. I had taken these things for granted, until I lost them.

If I were to notice every blessing in each hour, in each day, I would never come to the end of them.

Enterprises of Our Own

“When God inspects us with His searching and refining fire, will He detect that we have built enterprises of our own on the foundation of Jesus?” (My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers)

Let’s say our lives are built on the solid foundation of Christ. What does the rest of the building look like? What kind of enterprises are we constructing on top of this foundation?

Most of us customize our lives around our own agendas. We make changes to the original blueprint. We enlarge certain spaces to accommodate our needs for financial security, entertainment, prestige, and power. This leads to cutting down spaces for our relationship with God. The sacred rooms are diminished to make way for grand entrances that will impress, massive kitchens in which we become the creator, lavish bathrooms for us to luxuriate, high tech media rooms where we entertain, and expansive bedrooms where we relax.

Meanwhile, the sacred is relegated into a prayer closet.

Lack of Conviction

I recently saw the movie “Avengers”. For me, the most memorable line was what Agent Colson said after he was stabbed by the villain, Loki:

Colson: “You will lose.”

Loki: “Why?”

Colson: “It’s in your nature … you lack conviction.”

I recognize this lack of conviction in myself. I have good intentions and big ideas. If I could save the world by making lists, I too would be a super hero. (I wonder if “Listmaker” would make it as a new super hero on the “Avengers” sequel. Ooh! Maybe they could get Natalie Portman to play me!)

What was I talking about again? Oh yeah… lack of conviction. I’m easily distracted, discouraged, and disillusioned. Until I’m willing to give up everything for what I believe is true, what I know is right, I can’t be a hero.

Flowering Stage

We had unusually warm weather this March. Our apple trees bloomed early. Then we had a cold, frosty April, and all the flowers perished before they could develop into fruit.

Last year, during the flowering stage, these same trees got infested with worms. As the fruits developed, they looked fine from the outside but were being eaten away from the inside.

Just as fruit trees are vulnerable during their flowering stage, humans are more vulnerable as adolescents and young adults. Whatever we are exposed to at this stage makes a big impact on our fruitfulness. Harmful influences, such as physical, sexual or verbal abuse, can completely change the trajectory of a person’s life. Stressful situations that cause instability, including the death of a loved one, divorce, financial difficulties, or moving to a new place, can be debilitating. Even common pollutants like criticism, peer pressure, bullying, rejection, self-image issues, pornography, learning disabilities, alcohol, drugs, promiscuity, etc. can affect the quality and quantity of a person’s fruit for a lifetime.

We don’t have control over many environmental factors. There is little we can do to protect our young people from harmful exposure. All we can do is pay close attention to them and on frosty nights, throw a blanket over them.

Giving Your Power Away

Whatever you love or fear has power over you.

When you love people, you become vulnerable to their choices. Their circumstances affect your peace. When they are hurt, you get hurt. Likewise, if you are passionate about anything, it has a grip on you. For instance, if you are wrapped up in acquiring wealth, advancing your career, building your dream house, promoting a cause, or pursuing a hobby…these obsessions can bind you.

Whatever you fear, whether it is sickness, death, poverty, divorce, failure, violence, loneliness…that apprehension can enslave you.

Why do we give away our power like this? It’s like giving our house keys to someone. Once you hand it over, it’s really hard to get it back. So we try to pick reliable people whom we can trust.

So then, who is trustworthy? Whom should we love? Whom should we fear? Who shall have power over us?

“I hate all this silly religion,
but you, God, I trust.
I'm leaping and singing in the circle of your love;
you saw my pain,
you disarmed my tormentors,
You didn't leave me in their clutches
but gave me room to breathe.” (Ps. 31:6-13 MSG)

“The Lord’s delight is in those who fear him,
Those who put their hope in his unfailing love. (Ps.147:10-12 NLT)

Blessed Are We Among Women

This Mother’s Day morning, I spent some time reading Each Day a Portion, a book by Nancy Nystrom. Nancy is a friend of a friend. She runs an orphanage for street children in Mexico. In her book, she tells of mothers who are unable to care for their children. Most of these moms are too busy surviving, so the children are left to fend for themselves.

On this Mother’s Day, I think of my own mom… her expressions of regret. She missed out on a lot of our childhood because of her work.

I realize how blessed I am as a mom. I have been able to take care of my child. I have a husband who supports me unequivocally in my attempts to nurture and nourish our only son.

Some of us have been given the opportunity, resources, support, health, inclination, and time to take care of our children. Those of us who are called to this vocation of motherhood are blessed among women.

P.S.- If you live in the Iowa City area and read this before 5/16/12, you might be interested to come hear Nancy Nystrom speak at the Washington County Library at 6:30 pm.

　

　

Who Put Your Ego in Charge?

I get annoyed when disorganized people pretend that God put them in charge. I figure that God would equip those whom He has called to be leaders with some managerial skills. Good intentions and vision do not make a leader, just as lack of planning and organization do not equal faith.

When a person is God-controlled, he/she will be under the influence of the Holy Spirit. I imagine that this person would be infused with godly perspective and judgment.

Let’s say I felt called to build a homeless shelter in my town. I definitely don’t have the skills to accomplish this on my own. Yet, if I am completely under the influence of God, I think I would be able to recognize the right people who do have the skills, connections equipment etc. to make this happen.

Or maybe I feel called to write, but I can’t spell or punctuate well. If God has given me access to someone with good editorial skills, I shouldn’t be too proud to beg for his/her assistance.

A person cannot be God-controlled and ego-controlled at the same time. As long as we are under the influence of our egos, we have no business taking on leadership roles in the name of God.

Certain of God

“We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God.” (from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers)

Every day I face situations in which I feel unsure. What should I do? What should I say? Am I making things worse?

I don’t like uncertainty. I’ve never in my life uttered the phrase, “Surprise me!” I enjoy planning as long as I have some control over the events. Yet when planning my future, I realize I don’t have as much influence over the outcome as I’d like. This used to cause me a lot of anxiety. Until I accepted that God is in control.

What does it mean to be certain of God?

I am certain that God is with me. I also get the feeling that God’s love, understanding, and acceptance of me is beyond what I can muster up for myself or toward others. How do I know this? Because God has placed this surety in my heart.

The Myth of a Secretive God

I admit, God can seem mysterious and elusive at times. I wish He would explain things to my satisfaction. I’ve often wondered why He doesn’t reveal Himself to everyone.

“God's wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don't find it lying around on the surface.” (1 Corinthians 2:7 MSG)

God is not obvious. His truths are not common knowledge. This is not an easy relationship. It’s not that He is intentionally secretive, but He is unfathomable. The more time I spend with Him, the more I realize how profound and enigmatic He really is! Yet, He reveals Himself daily in ways we can understand. He exhibits His glory in nature. He expresses His thoughts through scripture. He showed His love through Jesus.

“God, our God, will take care of the hidden things but the revealed things are our business.” (Deuteronomy 29:29 MSG)

The Myth of a Distant God

Traditional beliefs point to a God who lives in heaven, while we humans live here on earth. A bit like a C.E.O of a large company, who stays up in his plush office on the top floor, while the rest of the employees work busily on the bottom floors. We work hard, trying to impress our boss and get promoted. We eventually hope to work our way up to an office on the top floor next Him.

My experience has been different. It is more similar to the following verses:

“When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you.
When you're in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you're between a rock and a hard place,
it won't be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God.” (Isaiah 43:2 MSG)

I think God is with us, within us. He is not distant or absent or too busy or condescending. He works alongside us, struggles with us, suffers for us. How do I know this? Because I can sense His comforting presence, His guidance, and sometimes…I think I hear Him laugh.

The Myth of a Forgetful God

I have a prayer list with lots of names. Daily, I remind God to take care of these people. I feel the need to repeatedly ask God to take care of certain situations and problems.

Is God like a baby-sitter you hire that needs to be given detailed instructions on how to take care of your child? Or like an easily distracted teenager who needs to be reminded of his responsibilities? Or like a husband, who needs to be nagged about a honey-do list?

Unfortunately, this is how I relate to God. When I spend time with Him, I’ve got into the habit of listing my concerns. This is a big part of what I call prayer.

It’s appropriate to yield or surrender our worries to God. I’m sure He hasn’t forgotten anything we said to Him yesterday. But if repeating our concerns make us feel less burdened, God is patient enough to hear us out.

The Myth of an Egotistical God

The idea of a jealous God is from the Old Testament. Scripture also mentions that God is worthy of our worship and praise, so we assume that He needs our constant adulation. We have inadvertently projected our own egotistical and narcissistic tendencies onto God.

God deserves to be praised. When our hearts are turned toward God in worship, we tend to focus less on ourselves and our circumstances. Adoration of God is for our benefit, not His.

In modern Christian circles, “Praise and Worship” is equated with exuberant singing in church. This is not what I mean when I use these words. I prefer the word adoration because it brings to mind the Catholic practice of silently, reverentially, staying before God. It is an interior act that fills me with awe.

“Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It's way over our heads. We'll never figure it out.
Is there anyone around who can explain God?
Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do?
Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice?
Everything comes from him;
Everything happens through him;
Everything ends up in him.
Always glory! Always praise!” (Romans 11:33-36 MSG)

The Myth of a Bargaining God

We imagine a God who likes to bargain with us. One who says, “If you do this for me, I’ll take care of you.” We have this idea of a tit for tat God. One who retaliates or rewards based on our actions.

In our attempt to understand God, we have reduced Him to our level. We attribute our characteristics to Him. Bargaining is what humans do. We try to strike the best deal in our transactions. We believe in “an eye for an eye” and that “there is no such thing as a free lunch”. Our ideas of justice and fairness are meshed in with individual rights and responsibilities.

Here is what Jesus had to say about this subject:
"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, gift-wrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.” (Matt. 5:38-42 MSG)

If this is what Jesus expects of us humans, why do we expect any less of God?

The Myth of a Judgmental God

Traditional beliefs about God portray Him as a strict, stern parent with high expectations; a father figure who keeps tabs of our mistakes, shortcomings, and weaknesses; a legalistic, pushy, autocrat who demands perfection; one of those parents who would never suggest skipping school or piano practice to go fishing or watch funny TV shows with you past your bedtime.

In my experience, God is more like a responsible parent, who takes care of His children. He has high moral standards, yet understands that His children are still growing into maturity. He craves to be with us, play with us, laugh with us, and enjoy us.

In some ways, God might be more like a grandparent than a parent. Some wise grandparents have a broader perspective than first-time parents. Because they have more life experience, they tend to be more patient and empathetic as children struggle with developmental issues.

I’m not saying that God is wishy-washy and indulgent. I’m just saying that some of our traditional beliefs about Him might be a misrepresentation of who He really is.

Traditional Beliefs

“If we obey what God says according to our sincere belief, God will break us from those traditional beliefs that misrepresent Him…If you will remain true to God, God will lead you directly through every barrier and right into the inner chamber of the knowledge of himself.” (My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers)

What are some of the traditional beliefs we have about God that might be a misrepresentation of who He really is?

• A Judgmental God- A stern father-figure who holds us accountable and has high expectations of us. 
• A God who lives “up there” rather than within us. 
• A bargaining God- “If you do this for me, I’ll make sure things turn out all right for you.” 
• An egotistical, jealous God who wants to be praised and worshiped all the time.
• A secretive God who doesn’t explain Himself or reveal Himself.
• A God that needs to be regularly reminded to take care of us and our loved ones.

It takes years to get to know someone really well. If we remain faithful to God, He will reveal his innermost thoughts to us. I think God must be complex, with many sides. I believe He expresses himself differently to each of us depending on our own needs and personalities.

In my own experience, God has a sense of humor and is infinitely patient, forgiving, comforting, dependable, surprising, and strong. My only complaints about God are that He doesn’t work according to my schedule, and He allows pain and suffering.

Over the next few days, I’m going to delve into some of these myths about God…

Noticing Problems

My friend and I regularly walk together. We do a minimum of three laps around our neighborhood. My friend always picks up things on the path that shouldn’t be there: nails, plastic bags, empty soda cans, candy wrappers etc. Sometimes these things will be way off the road, and she’ll go out of her way to pick it up. She carries it with her until we get to her house where she can dump it in her trash can. I walk alongside her, but I hardly ever notice these items on the ground until she bends over to pick them up. Why?

If these same items were in my house or in my yard, I think I would notice them. If there were a nail in my driveway, I think it would register in my brain that I needed to pick it up before I drove over it and got a flat tire. Somehow, I’ve learned to tune out problems in this world that don’t directly affect me.

It’s easy to get distracted. There are deadlines at work; our own kids have projects due at school; we have family emergencies; we have our own bills to pay, meals to cook, and homes to clean. We also need time to enjoy life, so we take time to plan parties, go on vacation, and go shopping.

It’s so easy to get absorbed in my own life, that I fail to notice the struggles of others. Until the Holy Spirit nudges me. He bends down to take care of something, and then I notice…

I notice the children that need help staying afloat in school. I notice the cleaning woman at the hospital and how tired she looks. I notice the Hispanic woman who serves me at McDonalds and the Burmese immigrants at the meat packing plant, all trying to assimilate, all trying to take care of their children...

Responsibilities of the Privileged

My family is privileged. We are American citizens who speak English and have enough education to help our children with school work. We have the ability and the legal documents to work and support our family. We have health insurance. We do not live in fear that our family will be forcibly separated.

When I hear about undocumented immigrants in the news, I feel vaguely sad about their plight. But since I don’t know any of them personally, I’ve always been able to remain detached. Until now. A friend of mine got involved in the life of one of these families. (I’m changing all the names for obvious reasons.)

José works odd jobs and gets paid less than minimum wage. His wife takes care of their young child who has severe health problems. Their main reason for coming to the U.S. was to find treatment for their sick child. They also have a 13-year old child who had to be left behind. Recently, José went back to their native country to get their older son. As they were crossing over the border, they were both apprehended by border patrol and placed in a detention center. My friend, who is a U.S. citizen, is trying to help them out. It’s a messy situation.

What are our responsibilities as the privileged? I do think we are called to take care of those who are less fortunate than we are. I don’t think it’s optional. 

“Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!” (Luke 12:48 MSG)

Still searching…