Worship Charades

“Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.” (Isaiah 1:17 MSG)

A gym is a good place for observing people. Other than the obvious physical differences in those who show up, it is interesting to watch what people do while they are there. Many gym members fall into these broad categories: Trendy Dressers, Selfie-Takers, Groups of Friends, Serious Fitness Buffs, Slackers, Spectators, and Socializers. How they spend their time and energy reveals their motivations and priorities. 

Similarly, a church is a good place to observe people. Many church attendees fall into the following broad categories: Habitual Christians, Committee Members, Social Cliques, Holiday Drop-ins, and Committed Disciples of Christ. The famous preacher Billy Graham once commented that he thought only about 10 percent of all regularly attending church members were actually Christians! 

“Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games:

Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings... (Isaiah 1:13 MSG)

The majority of church-goers are busy playing worship charades and other religious games. They mistakenly think that checking attendance boxes and being active in church-sponsored events is a sign of holiness. True followers of Christ can be identified by their behavior: They say no to wrong, learn to do good, work for justice, help the down-and-out, stand up for the homeless, and go to bat for the defenseless. Their motivations and priorities align with what the gospels teach and how Jesus lived. 

Turning Point

“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless.” (Isaiah 1:17 NIV)

I saw a video today that moved me profoundly. A scared little girl, whose father is being detained by immigration officials, spills all her thoughts and emotions while sobbing uncontrollably. She voices what millions of immigrants in the U.S. are feeling--terrified, powerless, oppressed, unworthy.

The current persecution of immigrants, whether legal or illegal, has to be shocking to every decent human being. How can anyone ignore or justify treating others as subhuman? There has to be a turning point soon. As Winston Churchill said: “You can always count on Americans to do the right thing--after they’ve tried everything else.” I believe that what is represented by this period in history is an anomaly, that America is better than this. It has to be! 

During the Civil Rights Movement, certain images of injustice--like the police turning dogs and fire hoses on protestors and businesses that refused to serve people of color--turned public opinion. The laws that supported segregation were changed, because the majority of voters realized that they were inhumane. I pray that racialized immigration policies will soon be a thing of the past. I hope that we will learn to do right, seek justice, defend the oppressed, and take up the cause of the powerless.