matthew 5:13-16
today, i had the privilege of hearing bruce main, founder of urbanpromise ministries, speak at a local church. i always get excited when a little piece of camden comes out to california. it is nice to have people out here who understand how amazing the city really is. bruce spoke on the passage above, which was much needed on my part. previously, in one of my classes, we discussed how we, as people of privilege, can preach the beatitudes from the sermon on the mount. how are we to tell those who are oppressed that when they are persecuted, meek, or insulted, they are blessed? i have been wrestling with this passage for some time now, as i know that the definition of "blessed" has become so skewed. to many, our "blessing" is assured by the amount of material items we obtain. we think we are "blessed" when we do not have to worry about how we are going to make ends meet. according to Jesus, it is quite the opposite. we are blessed when we are POOR IN SPIRIT, as we will inherit the kingdom of heaven. how can i possibly tell someone they are blessed when they are persecuted, when i've never known persecution?
in the midst of such confusion, bruce spoke of salt and light. prefacing the sermon with a quote by edmund burke that states, "when good people run, evil triumps," bruce continued to apply this to christianity. though we embody the elements that can transform the world, we choose to run from the places that need light most. they are too scary. they are too intimidating. they are not comfortable. we want to run away, but...
we are not supposed to escape the world. we are supposed to confront it.
to confront the world, i have to confront my privilege. i have to continue to seek knowledge of how it affects others. i can't keep living in this mindset of contentment, knowing that my eyes have been opened. opened eyes are not enough. now that i am aware of issues of racism, oppression, and privilege, i have to ACT. it is not enough to talk about justice. justice has to be done. it has to be sought after daily.
when i think of the faces of camden, i cannot imagine sitting by and watching them suffer. i want to fight for their justice. i want to fight for their rights to a proper education. i want them to be empowered by their city, rather than held back. i want them to know and truly believe that they can be successful. if this is where my heart is, why do i allow myself to sit in silence when conversations about social justice are being had? why am i so quick to shut down out of intimidation, when surely the mere signs of effort and an attempt to understand is enough to work with? i fear that i have almost become content in this pursuit and act as if i have it all together.
in all reality, i don't.
however, in this situation, i choose not to run. i choose to confront these issues, discuss them, and actively work to make a change. i desire to learn of the ways urbanpromise functions and maintains its impact in the city. more than anything, i want to be present. i want to be in the midst of these issues, walking alongside those who are not heard. but i do not want to be a voice for them. they have voices of their own. i want to be a voice WITH them...
because i know i can't do this alone.
