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.
Showing posts with label disaster. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disaster. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Who's to Blame?
I'm still having trouble comprehending that it's been 10 years since the disaster on 9/11. Have we really been living in a post-9/11 for a full decade already? Has over 1/5 of my life been lived with this event in our collective psyche? During the kids' message Sunday when I asked them how many were under the age of 10, it struck me how many people there are who have known nothing other than a post-9/11 world.
Over this weekend of remembrance, no little controversy has been stirred in the blogosphere and 24-hour cable ad newsium over who's to blame, and over who is casting blame at others. We want to blame people, and we want to argue with those who blame the wrong people.
Who is to blame?
Of course, many conspiracy theorists claim the U.S. government was behind it all, citing all kinds of suspicious "inconsistencies," and claiming that it was all an elaborate scheme to solidify political power.
Others blame those who are more lax about national security. They say it was because too many people have gone "soft" on protecting our borders, allowing the plan to hatch in the first place.
Others have blamed the sinfulness and declining morals of Americans - a charge made not only by the unhinged, judgmental fundamentalists, but also by some of the leading religious voices that are normally quite sound. This is God's wrath on sinful America! You and I are to blame, they say, and therefore we should be deeply ashamed of ourselves.
There are those who blame some subsector of the Muslim community. They blame either the "radicals" or those with uncontained political aspirations. They are careful not to blame all Muslims or even Islam itself.
Others blame all of the Muslim community, saying there is no such thing as "non-radical" Islam. Others rush to the other extreme and bark at anyone who would dare include "Islam" of any form when deciding who's at fault.
I think I've heard more people blame all forms of religion more than any other suspect. All such "religious extremists" are equally dangerous, according to this charge. And now, "extremism" is a term that has expanded to include anyone who is "fervent" or even just "serious" about his faith. That means that I am as dangerous as the hijackers.
Perhaps the most talked about blamer this last weekend was a writer who laid the responsibility square on people who were in leadership, like President Bush and Mayor Giuliani - not really blaming them for the event, but for giving us a "decade of shame" of politicizing the whole event. Ironically, the article itself politicized the whole event.
Still others note the demonic nature of that magnitude of evil, and include the fallen spirits among the blameworthy. For a brief time after the event, it was acceptable in a world of tolerance to call something "wrong" or "evil." At minimum, the sinfulness of man is a major factor in what happened.
Would a strong Calvinist even dare to blame God?
Who is to blame?
What I find interesting is how important it is for us to blame someone - anyone at all. The level of heat in these exchanges tells me that there's something in our very core that needs to know who's at fault, so that we can put the blame where it belongs. We've just got to cast blame on someone! What does this drive to place blame tell us about ourselves?
We crave justice. We are appalled and angered by the grave injustice of 9/11, and we need to blame someone so that we can hope and pray for justice to come. It was wrong, we know it was wrong, and we want someone to pay for that wrong. Even many who deny God have an insatiable hunger for justice (a justice that has no definition without God).
Which is why it is so hard for us to comprehend grace. God's grace is that Jesus takes the blame upon himself for all our injustices. And that feels so wrong - Jesus is that last one who should be blamed. But, grace says that Jesus took all the blame, and offers us grace instead. The cross is even bigger than the atrocity of 9/11, and beyond sufficient for everyone who deserves any portion of the blame.
Who is to blame?
Jesus is willing to be. It is the only way that we can survive God's justice. That is the Gospel.
Over this weekend of remembrance, no little controversy has been stirred in the blogosphere and 24-hour cable ad newsium over who's to blame, and over who is casting blame at others. We want to blame people, and we want to argue with those who blame the wrong people.
Who is to blame?
Of course, many conspiracy theorists claim the U.S. government was behind it all, citing all kinds of suspicious "inconsistencies," and claiming that it was all an elaborate scheme to solidify political power.
Others blame those who are more lax about national security. They say it was because too many people have gone "soft" on protecting our borders, allowing the plan to hatch in the first place.
Others have blamed the sinfulness and declining morals of Americans - a charge made not only by the unhinged, judgmental fundamentalists, but also by some of the leading religious voices that are normally quite sound. This is God's wrath on sinful America! You and I are to blame, they say, and therefore we should be deeply ashamed of ourselves.
There are those who blame some subsector of the Muslim community. They blame either the "radicals" or those with uncontained political aspirations. They are careful not to blame all Muslims or even Islam itself.
Others blame all of the Muslim community, saying there is no such thing as "non-radical" Islam. Others rush to the other extreme and bark at anyone who would dare include "Islam" of any form when deciding who's at fault.
I think I've heard more people blame all forms of religion more than any other suspect. All such "religious extremists" are equally dangerous, according to this charge. And now, "extremism" is a term that has expanded to include anyone who is "fervent" or even just "serious" about his faith. That means that I am as dangerous as the hijackers.
Perhaps the most talked about blamer this last weekend was a writer who laid the responsibility square on people who were in leadership, like President Bush and Mayor Giuliani - not really blaming them for the event, but for giving us a "decade of shame" of politicizing the whole event. Ironically, the article itself politicized the whole event.
Still others note the demonic nature of that magnitude of evil, and include the fallen spirits among the blameworthy. For a brief time after the event, it was acceptable in a world of tolerance to call something "wrong" or "evil." At minimum, the sinfulness of man is a major factor in what happened.
Would a strong Calvinist even dare to blame God?
Who is to blame?
What I find interesting is how important it is for us to blame someone - anyone at all. The level of heat in these exchanges tells me that there's something in our very core that needs to know who's at fault, so that we can put the blame where it belongs. We've just got to cast blame on someone! What does this drive to place blame tell us about ourselves?
We crave justice. We are appalled and angered by the grave injustice of 9/11, and we need to blame someone so that we can hope and pray for justice to come. It was wrong, we know it was wrong, and we want someone to pay for that wrong. Even many who deny God have an insatiable hunger for justice (a justice that has no definition without God).
Which is why it is so hard for us to comprehend grace. God's grace is that Jesus takes the blame upon himself for all our injustices. And that feels so wrong - Jesus is that last one who should be blamed. But, grace says that Jesus took all the blame, and offers us grace instead. The cross is even bigger than the atrocity of 9/11, and beyond sufficient for everyone who deserves any portion of the blame.
Who is to blame?
Jesus is willing to be. It is the only way that we can survive God's justice. That is the Gospel.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The world is ending ... no, it's not ... no, wait, yes it is...
This last weekend began with Harold Camping's much publicized, absolutely confident prediction that Judgment Day would hit the world at 6pm on Saturday, one timezone after another. (Why God would respect man-made timezones is beyond me.) It was sad to see how, by the end of the day, his adherents were so confused and disillusioned.
The weekend ended with the people of Joplin, MO, feeling like Judgment Day may have actually come. Unimaginable devastation from one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.
What do theologically-irresponsible fear mongering and a truly devastating natural disaster have to teach us?
First, Camping wasn't wrong about Judgment Day happening, but about the timing and details of it. (I find it odd that his Judgment Day preceded his Rapture Day.) His irresponsible prediction only serves to further undermine belief that a real Judgment Day does await us.
Second, what happened in Joplin, as horrible as it is, pales weakly in comparison to what real judgment will be like. By no means would I diminish the horrible experience this disaster is for so many, but what grace saves us from is orders of magnitude worse.
I don't see what happened recently in Japan, Alabama, and Joplin as the direct result of God's judgment. They are, however, severe reminders that we live in fallen universe marching steadily toward instability, chaos, and eventual collapse. Our present world is incapable of hosting our eternal destiny.
We will eventually face our Creator, and He will either judge us based on our own righteousness or judge us based on the righteousness of His Son, imputed to us by faith. If judged by my own righteousness, I have only despair for a fate far worse than Joplin. If judged by the righteousness of Christ, I have only hope for a world that will never deteriorate, never break down, and never end.
The weekend ended with the people of Joplin, MO, feeling like Judgment Day may have actually come. Unimaginable devastation from one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history.
What do theologically-irresponsible fear mongering and a truly devastating natural disaster have to teach us?
First, Camping wasn't wrong about Judgment Day happening, but about the timing and details of it. (I find it odd that his Judgment Day preceded his Rapture Day.) His irresponsible prediction only serves to further undermine belief that a real Judgment Day does await us.
Second, what happened in Joplin, as horrible as it is, pales weakly in comparison to what real judgment will be like. By no means would I diminish the horrible experience this disaster is for so many, but what grace saves us from is orders of magnitude worse.
I don't see what happened recently in Japan, Alabama, and Joplin as the direct result of God's judgment. They are, however, severe reminders that we live in fallen universe marching steadily toward instability, chaos, and eventual collapse. Our present world is incapable of hosting our eternal destiny.
We will eventually face our Creator, and He will either judge us based on our own righteousness or judge us based on the righteousness of His Son, imputed to us by faith. If judged by my own righteousness, I have only despair for a fate far worse than Joplin. If judged by the righteousness of Christ, I have only hope for a world that will never deteriorate, never break down, and never end.
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