Everything Must Change - The Equity Crisis

Everything Must Change is Brian McLaren's new book.  Brian's wreslting with these two questions:

1. What are the biggest crises facing planet Earth today?

2. What does Jesus have to say about it?

I've already posted on the Prosperity Crisis.  Read that here.  Today I want to post on the Equitity Crisis. 

The gap between the rich and the poor is getting wider.  Not only is the gap widening, but the rate at which the gap is grows is accelerating.  Around the world, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

Amos 3:15  I will tear down the winter house along with the summer house; the houses adorned with ivorty will be destroyed and the mansions will be demolished," declares the LORD.

In chapter 3, God confronts the lack of justice and compassion in the hearts of His people.  He warns them that judgmentis coming.  Look at verse 15.  He's addressing the lifestyle of a certain sergment of this society.  Here he confronts their isolationism. 

They are cut off from the poor. 

Amos was a prophet around 750 B.C.  This is an interesting time.  Amos is saying there's a shocking disparity between the rich and the poor, and archeologists have confirmed this was true at the time.

You might remember when Canaan was first populated; God gave equal property to all the tribes.  Everybody lived pretty much at the same level.  And even in houses fromm the 10th century B.C. that archeologist have dug up - they are fairly similiar.  By the time you get to Amos' day in the 8th century, you find areas where there are enormous mansions for the rich and then other areas where there are miserable hovels for the poor.  That's exactly what Amos is addressing.  They rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poor. The rich getting richer is not the problem.  The problem is when the worlds of the rich and the poor DO NOT MEET.

More and more, this is true of our culture here in the States. Our world, here in the suburbs, is designed so that those of us with resources will not see or think about the poor.  Our world is set up so that we can live, work, drive, and shop in comfortable surroundings that keep us away from the pockets of need and poverty in our community. 

I was watcing Bill O'Reilly awhile back and they were debating the issue of panhandling.  Major cities are enacting new laws against panhandling.  One city has created panhandling zones, where the poor people can be corralled like cattle.  Why?  So no one feels uncomfortable.  Bill said, "I think this should be done.  Why should a parent who is taking a day with their kid in one of these downtown districts have to deal with a smelly, dirty guy asking for money?"  Those where his words. 

Our world is set up so that we can pretend that everybody in the world lives like us.  But, they don't.

Now it is possible to go days, weeks, months, years, and even a lifetime without seeing the living conditions of someone who is radicallly different from your level of socio-economic status.

We all know Jesus said, "The poor will always be with you."  I have often heard people use that verse to justify a lack of action.   

But maybe when He said to His disciples that poor would always be with you...he actually meant it.

"WITH YOU." 

Maybe, Jesus expects His followers to actually be "with" the poor. Not isolated, but in relationship. 

Not just writing a check, but actually having skin in the game. 

How much space do I have in my life for people who are desperately in need of food, education, clothing, medical care, and of course the good news of amazing grace?

My family and I are working on this: increasing our proximity to those in need.  We want that to be a "normal" part of life.  My wife posted a little story on her blog that demonstrates the impact of this.

Here at GCC, we're moving toward deep and lasting relationship with the poor through our intiatives at our Community Center here in South Bend, Englewood/Lathrop Homes in Chicago, and Tamil Nadu, India.  These links will take you to media that will give you a taste of what's happening.

I'd love to here about creative ways you or your church are moving toward the poor and are addressing the Equitity Crisis.

Comments

[Chris White]

Nice piece. As one who grew up outside church and prosperity circles (near Willow Creek Community Church, no less), I hold that the poor near and far are avoided only with effort. We actually do "live" near them. We are related to them. We all are. The first step for us as a church was to confess this. We are active in public schools in our small Kentucky river town--teachers, mentors, club leaders, and the river of needs we find through active listeners. I chair an ecumenical group that winterizes and repairs homes of low-income senior home owners. We also bought a home in a modest neighborhood that keeps us on the pulse. Does it hurt? I quote Henri LeMothe, 80-year old diver into 18-inch pools of water, when asked by children if it hurts: "Why do you care if it hurts?"

[skoutz]

I seriously need to find some free time to read this book and catch up on the blog reading!

[ryan]

Here in India it would be so easy to work at a company that serves the poor yet never go near them. The truth is I have found that it is not just standing next to the poor. It is being friends with the poor. And from visiting the slum near my house where we now have friends. I am finding out that it is not them but I whom am poor... in spirit and faith.

Ryan

[Pastor Rob Singleton]

Hi again, Rob!

Great post. All of yours are, that's why you're on my blogroll. Hey, would you consider something to help me out with my blog?

Just curious… maybe you even have the same frustration as I do? As a pastor of a large church, I have close to 1,000 readers a day on my blog, but still have a very low authority on Technorati. I’ve learned that this is because I don’t have enough links to my site.

Why does this matter? Because I want to start reaching out to people beyond just the church, and to do that I need to get this blog up higher on the search engines.

I was wondering if you would be willing to put in a link exchange with me at www.robsingleton.net. If so, please send me an email to robtherev@gmail.com showing me where you’ve linked it and I will do the same.

Look forward to hearing from you!

Pastor Rob Singleton

[Pastor Rob Singleton]

Hi again, Rob!

Great post. All of yours are, that's why you're on my blogroll. Hey, would you consider something to help me out with my blog?

Just curious… maybe you even have the same frustration as I do? As a pastor of a large church, I have close to 1,000 readers a day on my blog, but still have a very low authority on Technorati. I’ve learned that this is because I don’t have enough links to my site.

Why does this matter? Because I want to start reaching out to people beyond just the church, and to do that I need to get this blog up higher on the search engines.

I was wondering if you would be willing to put in a link exchange with me at www.robsingleton.net. If so, please send me an email to robtherev@gmail.com showing me where you’ve linked it and I will do the same.

Look forward to hearing from you!

Pastor Rob Singleton