Widows, Orphans, and Who?

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

-- James 1:27 

In other words, the lives of widows and orphans matter. The Gospel is such as this - the Gospel extends to everyone, from the highest members of society to the ones society forgets. In the social setting of the New Testament, widows and orphans were among the most vulnerable, and the Gospel extends to them no less than anyone else. If the Gospel doesn't extend to them, then it's not really the Good News.

And we buy this. We easily agree that this is true. Even though widows and orphans aren't nearly as vulnerable now as they were then, we still have a Gospel-stamped area of our heart for those who have lost their husbands and especially for those children who have lost their parents. We bend over backwards for them at times, and as a church, we have even joined the CarePortal to help care for children who are facing separation from their parents for some reason.

Do the lives of all children matter, not just orphans? Of course they do. Do the lives of all women matter, not just widows? Of course they do. This passage by no means suggests otherwise. But this passage doesn't say "the lives of all women and children matter." It does emphatically say that the lives of widows and orphans matter as a key attribute of the Gospel. What makes the Gospel the Gospel is that the lives of the vulnerable matter.

I had lunch last week with an African-American pastor who serves an inner-city church. With grief in his voice, he pondered why so many white evangelicals get that it's OK for the Bible to say in particular that the lives of widows and orphans matter as an attribute of the Gospel, but they don't get why it's OK to say in particular that Black lives matter as an attribute of the Gospel. We cannot deny that Blacks (using my friend's terminology) have been systemically vulnerable and systemically marginalized, even if we've never personally done anything to make this true. Why is it easier for us to say "orphan lives matter" than to say "Black lives matter"?

I don't endorse any violence or hatred that has been expressed through the Black Lives Matter movement. But that noise is not what I'm concerned about. Forget the worst expressions and think about the importance of every marginalized group and how the Gospel is not Good News if it doesn't call out specifically that the lives of specific marginalized groups matter. Not even that "those lives matter, too," as if some lives can be assumed but other lives surprise us with their importance. Just that "those lives matter." Period.

Context makes a difference. Whichever vulnerable group is in view, the Gospel says "those lives matter, period." In James 1, it's widows and orphans. In Acts 15, it's non-Jews. In some of our current conversations, it's Black lives.

I've never really been marginalized. I've been ignored in situations, my voice has gone unheard in some conversations, and when that happens, I experience frustration - for 5 minutes or an hour at a time. But even then, the moment someone acknowledges me and really hears my voice, it's good news to me. Imagine the good news that comes from telling a member of a group has been systemically marginalized (whether by me or not) that "Yes, your life matters in particular. Your life matters not because all lives matter. Your life matters solely because the Gospel is for you."

I can say "Black lives matter" without having to qualify it with "too" or "all" or "just like." I can say this, but not from a false sense that because my life matters, so does yours. Rather, I can say this because of the Gospel. I need no other cause, and that's part of the Good News.

Vote As If

I believe very strongly that this year's election is for more about the future direction of the American church than which set of professional politicians command the White House and Congress for the next term. To be sure, this election will have long-term consequences for our nation no matter who is elected, and I feel rather sorry for whoever it will be, because they will inherit a bitter mess. But as I study Scripture, there is a constant message that God is in total control of the fate of leaders and nations, and that it is the constant job of His people to especially put their trust in Him during these times. Now is the time to trust God particularly, rather than to fret or to put nationalism higher than God until November 8.

I think of books like Isaiah, which we are currently studying, and Daniel, which we studied earlier this year. In both cases, God's people were subject to leaders far worse than any we currently have on the ballot. Yet, these leaders were put in place by God on purpose because He was doing something greater than merely putting in place the best "church-going politician" for a term.

Likewise, I believe God has allowed us to come to this point, to this choice, for a purpose that is more about the Church than for what goes on inside the Beltway. Perhaps He did so in order to correct something wrong with the Church. We may speculate that He's punishing our nation for something, but what if He's shaking up the Church instead?

If I'm right in this theory, God is (as He has so often done in the past) moving national events in order to position the future of His people, for blessing or for discipline (and more likely, for both). I'm not saying that Isaiah and Daniel are prophecies about 21st Century United States. Rather, I don't believe God stopped moving leaders and nations in order to accomplish His goals for His people, so His ways revealed then still help us navigate events now.

In those cases, God persistently commanded His people to trust Him, to not trust in the flesh or in leaders or in armies, and to not fear, even if the situation got much, much worse. He has a plan that He's carrying out according to His sovereign will, so above all, remain faithful. Don't give into fear, sin, or pragmatism. Worry about faithfulness above all and then trust God to accomplish His plan.

This election cycle has exposed some very unhealthy relationships between the Church and the State, such as a misplaced reliance on government to be the lord and savior of our nation on the one hand, and a misguided demonization of all those within the government on the other. It has exposed an ugly underbelly of the  "ungracious religious" who discard Christlike behavior in order to promote their politics (which Left or Right, they claim is God's favorite brand of politics). It has also exposed how many in the Church choose which of a candidate's sins to highlight and which ones to ignore based only on their party preference. Great hypocrisies of the Church have been laid bare, and I, for one, am glad the disease has finally been brought to light. Only then can the Church be healed of it.

We have too long embraced Constantinianism, which seeks to force the affairs of the State by the power of the Church (which is not the same thing as redemptive influence). We have also bought into an unhealthy dualism that separates the sacred from the secular, allowing us to discard one in order to concentrate on the other, and then on the next day, switch. Oddly, these twin problems seem contradictory (too much integration vs. not enough integration), but they are actually the same failing to understand what a healthy integration looks like.

But books like Isaiah and Daniel insist that we trust God even more fervently during days such as these, because God is in total control. If that's actually true, then there is no need to compromise, cut corners, fudge, or be confused about how we should hold both the Church and the State in our hands.

So vote "as if." Vote (or not vote) as if we actually do trust that God is in total control. That doesn't mean to vote for whoever is the "most Christian" (good luck figuring that one out). It doesn't mean to vote for whoever is from the "correct party" (God isn't a card-carrying member of any of them). Nor does it mean to throw up your hands and say, "whatever - God will sort it out."

Rather, it means to carefully consider your vote as if God is in fact in total control. Like Isaiah and Daniel, trusting His complete sovereignty allows you to stand before Jesus and say, "I didn't have to compromise Your values in order to be 'pragmatic'." Don't vote your conscience - vote His, as best you can. Of course every vote will be for someone who is not Jesus, someone who is broken, fallen, imperfect, sinful, and holding some policies that are abhorrent to Him. Of course! But He's got this - He's the One who put Nebuchadnezzar in power over the Israelites! We don't have the luxury of a clearly moral and wise candidate this time around (or almost every other time around, to be honest). There's no need to pretend that we do.

God has given us this situation on purpose, and He expects His children to honor Him with how they trust Him in the midst of it. Vote as if God is always intentional in everything, including allowing our nation to come to this point, perhaps even for the purpose of correcting the Church. Vote (or not vote) so that you can tell Jesus you didn't compromise, even though there were no options except disappointing ones. He's not only faced this situation before, He's manufactured them before.

And please, back off of those who vote for the same reasons for a different candidate. This is no easy choice, and God is still sovereign. Lastly, don't be fatigued by all this - rather, seize the opportunity God has given us to trust Him in the midst of political disarray. If we can't trust Him now, we can't trust Him ever.

Responding to Disasters ... Again and Again

Hurricane Matthew blows through Haiti. Hundreds dead. Then it hits the coast of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. More dead. Thousands displaced temporarily or long-term. Basic utilities taking days, weeks, or even months to be restored. Weeks after the storm, water-borne diseases start cropping up, after the world has lost interest. And this is just one natural disaster out of many. We face several major disasters each year, and many of them span several years, such as the refugee crisis in war-torn Syria. Then add cities shaken by terrorist attacks and mass shootings, even within our own borders, and we're in danger of becoming numb to the constant need of recovery.

We are asked to pray, asked to give, asked to change our social media profile pictures to show support. Then there's backlash from skeptics about asking for prayer or guilt from others because you didn't pray their thing when you mentioned that you had prayed for another thing. "You prayed for France - why aren't you praying for Haiti?"

So many needs, so much devastation. How should we respond? How can we respond? Do I respond to all of them a little (and if not, how do I justify turning a cold shoulder to a legitimate need)? Do I respond to none of them? Do I respond to a random sampling of them? Maybe I respond to only those that affect my country, but then our needs aren't any more important than others'. Maybe I should pray for special revelation from God as to which to respond to before doing anything at all?

I suggest:

First, respond to at least one. Do respond. Get your response muscles working and active. Even if you pick one worthy need somewhat at random, respond to at least one per year. The only other option is inactive callousness.

Second, don't feel bad for not responding to all of them (or for any one of them in particular). Ignore those who are upset that you didn't respond to their favorite one. This is between you and God, not you and them. The only other option is failing to live up to an impossible standard.

Third, think about how you want to focus. Maybe you'll focus on natural disasters, or focus on areas where Christ has not yet been named, or focus where God has already connected you. Lynne and I are already connected to Italy and Kenya, so it would make sense for us to focus our attention there (but not expect you to). The only other option is to have no good reason to be able to say "no."

Fourth, it's better to think ahead about how to respond than to wait for things to happen. Then when we do respond, it won't be based on our mood that day, but rather on rational conclusions made without urgency. The only other option is repetitive stress each time something new comes up.

Fifth, pray. Of course, pray. The only other option is to not pray.  In other words, the only other option is to try to figure this out only by the flesh.

Whatever you do, be sure to check out the organizations you intend to help through. Do your homework. For financial support, check out charities with websites like Charity Watch (https://www.charitywatch.org/home) and Charity Navigator (https://www.charitynavigator.org/). After Matthew hit Haiti, some groups in Haiti plead with Americans to not send through organization X, because "it will never get to us." Giving comes with the responsibility of choosing well to whom to give.

A place for your good stuff

Garage sales, donations to charity, gifts to younger families - the various ways we take what we have and repurpose them. We want to declutter, we want to help others, and we want to make a little extra cash. We could throw it away, and sometimes we do, but we like the idea of putting our current stuff to a second use.

Let me offer one more suggestion for your good stuff that needs a new home. Or perhaps stuff you didn't know you need to part with, but are thinking about someone else who might need it more.

The CarePortal (https://careportal.org/) is a resource to connect the needs of vulnerable children in our area with the resources of the church. "Resources" doesn't just refer to stuff, but also neighborly love, friendship, time, a listening ear, and someone who is humble enough to be blessed in return.

The CarePortal started off by specific requests in certain locations, and those involved in the CarePortal would see needs show up in their emails as they happen. It has been a wonderful partnership we've entered into. But the technology has added new features so that we can now search based on what we have as well as what is needed.

For example, a family might need a kitchen table in order for their children to be placed back in their home, the case worker enters the need in the CarePortal, those in the system geographically near the need get the email, and they see if they have a kitchen table. If yes, then the need can be met. (And perhaps a new friendship can develop, too.) We're already familiar with this process.

The new angle works in the opposite direction. Someone has a kitchen table they want to repurpose it. They (or a friendly CarePortal member in their church) searches the CarePortal to see if anyone needs a kitchen table, and if that need exists anywhere in the region, the church contacts the CarePortal who contacts the case worker who contacts the family with the need. Same connection, but in the opposite direction. Assets-based compared to needs-based - both ways can form a connection.

If you have things you'd like to repurpose, before putting it in the garage sale or donating to another worthy cause, please consider the CarePortal, which has such great potential to meet specific needs and develop meaningful relationships. Just let one of the CarePortal partners at Grace know about your stuff! See Diane, Caylyn, Tom, or Jason, or anyone else you know who is involved.