I\u2019ve decided I\u2019m not too keen on this concept of being \u201creligious.\u201d\u00a0 So many of us seem too religious.\u00a0 We are religious about our work schedules, our workouts, eating, drinking, reading, looking good, our morning crosswords, shopping, iTunes accounts, iPods, iPads, iSomethings, word choices, kids\u2019 sports, etc.\u00a0 Being religious has little to do with faith, friends.\u00a0 \u201cReligious\u201d simply means devoted to a cause or activity.\u00a0 I\u2019ve known many who are wholeheartedly devoted; and yet many omit any acknowledgement of the divine.<\/p>\n
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Repeatedly in current societal mantras \u2014 also, often, with no acknowledgement of God \u2014 I am hearing the calls for justice… for social justice, for a just social standing.\u00a0 The reason so many advocate for the widows and orphans and poor and disabled is because such persons have no social standing; there is no prestige attached to their position.\u00a0 And so, some loudly articulate the need for social \u201cjustice.\u201d<\/p>\n
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How can we provide social \u201cjustice\u201d?\u00a0 What can \u2014 and should<\/em> \u2014 we do for the least of these? … for the most vulnerable?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n … feed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n … give a cold drink.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n … invite in.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n … clothe.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n … care for when sick.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n … visit when imprisoned.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Each of the above compassionately and effectively ministers to the least among us.\u00a0 We should thus be generous in the above provisions.\u00a0 Many, in fact, are \u201creligious\u201d in their attempts to both advocate and provide.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fascinating to me still, is that many religiously attempt to both advocate and provide but offer no acknowledgement of God.\u00a0 And yet, each of the above socially \u201cjust\u201d provisions is deeply rooted in biblical exhortation.\u00a0 It thus then blurs the supposedly nonporous boundary between what is church and what is state \u2014 especially when one advocates for social justice as a role of federal government.\u00a0 We are then asking government to do what God has commanded \u2014 albeit, what God has commanded the individual… what God has commanded for you and me.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For many \u201creligious\u201d persons \u2014 most likely myself, too, at times \u2014 we ignore that individual command. \u00a0We oft abdicate our role in providing for the least among us.\u00a0 We can sit back, shout the name of Jesus, but do we actually engage in the feeding and giving, inviting and clothing, caring and visiting?\u00a0 Some will be called to work in the field; others will be called to contribute monetarily.\u00a0 But it is equally, arguably hypocritical to stand back, acknowledge God\u2019s exhortation to the individual, but then, do nothing to provide for those who have lesser.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once again, friends, we find a societal issue where far too many are firmly entrenched on a supposed right or left.\u00a0 The solution is not compromise.\u00a0 The solution is to dissipate man-created, partisan opinion and do what we are individually called to do.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What are we called to do?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Feed.\u00a0 Give.\u00a0 Invite.\u00a0 Clothe.\u00a0 Care for.\u00a0 And visit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What else?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Acknowledge God.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If we do one without the other \u2014 even though the call for individual social provision is actually historically, biblically beseeched \u2014 then something is missing in our mission…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n … most likely something that is prudent and wise.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Respectfully,<\/p>\n AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I\u2019ve decided I\u2019m not too keen on this concept of being \u201creligious.\u201d\u00a0 So many of us seem too religious.\u00a0 We are religious about our work schedules, our workouts, eating, drinking, reading, looking good, our morning crosswords, shopping, iTunes accounts, iPods, iPads, iSomethings, word choices, kids\u2019 sports, etc.\u00a0 Being religious has little to do with faith, … <\/p>\n