Don’t get me wrong. I’ve repaired and painted buildings in the slums of Mexico. I’ve spent my Sunday afternoons feeding and caring for the homeless men and women in Moore square. I’ve sat in an orphanage in China and loved on the precious children who were abandoned by their parents due to some perceived imperfection.
I believe James 1:27 which says “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” I get it. And, I try my best to live it out.
But, here’s my concern. I believe that the heavy focus on social justice may be distracting the church from a greater purpose. Social justice puts the focus on the physical need, and for that reason, meeting that need becomes an end in and of itself. For example, if children don’t have shoes, then the social justice movement would compel us to collect shoes and give them to the children. That’s a good and worthy thing to do. But, as Christians, if we stop there, how are we any different from any other governmental or social agency? As Christians, we have something more to bring to the table.
I do believe that we have to start by meeting the physical need – by providing the shoes. But, we need to do more than that. In a sense, the shoes should be a means to an end rather than an end in and of themselves. The shoes should open the door for us to then connect the felt need of the people with the power of God.
Look at Peter’s example in Acts 3-4. When Peter and John encountered the lame man at the temple, they could have taken the approach that many would have taken today. They could have taken him to a soup kitchen to get some food. They could have connected him with an agency that would provide him with braces for his legs so that he could be more mobile. But, Peter and John looked at the man and saw his condition and they said:
"Look at us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Wow! What an amazing way to meet the need of this poor beggar! And, if you continue to read Acts 3-4, you’ll see that this event impacted not only the man himself but the entire community.
Some people say that miracles like that aren’t for today, but I disagree. God hasn’t changed. His power is still the same. However, I do believe that we’ve changed. We have become so reliant on ourselves and our affluence and our abilities to meet the needs of others that we forget to call on the one who has the power to TRULY meet the needs in a miraculous and life-changing way.
I’m not knocking the social justice movement, but for me – it’s not enough. I want to see the lame walk and the sick healed and the captive set free. I want to see the power of God displayed in miraculous ways. I want to see lives changed and nations transformed. And, I want to see God glorified in our church, in our community, in our nation, and in the world.
“(Jesus said) Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” -- John 14:12-14
I couldn't agree more. THANKS for posting.
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