But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously.
(Micah 6:8, The Message)
Guest Post
This week’s guest post is by Kate Kooyman of the Office of Social Justice of the Christian Reformed Church
My husband is big into fishing. I could wallpaper my house with all the pictures we have of him holding a fish. They all look the same to me, but he can point to it and tell you how many inches it was, what stretch of the river he got it, during what season, and using what fly. Shocking the information you can retain when you’re motivated. Now if I can only get him to remember where his keys are.
So the old adage “If you give a man a fish…” feels like it was spun right out of our household. Except that my husband does not eat his fish for a day — or at all. He snaps a picture of his fish and then returns it to the water. He doesn’t take them home for a fish fry.
In any case, “If you give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day; if you teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime” is, I think, a helpful little mantra for our Christian good works (if a bit non-inclusive in its gender language). It helps us to see that there’s more we can do to address hunger than just donating our almost-expired kidney beans to the food pantry; there’s more we can do than just writing a check when disaster strikes Haiti. If we’re serious about poverty and hunger, it’s also important that we address the skills that people need so they don’t have to keep coming back to the pantry to eat our cast-offs. That’s why there are so many folks who are interested in teaching urban gardening, for example, or things like GED and job skills programs. We know this to be true: people deserve the dignity of providing for themselves.
But what happens when the hungry person has all the fishing skills they could ask for — but there’s so much pollution in the pond, the fish have died? Or there’s a fence around the pond and you have to have certain documents to enter? Or the pond-owner demands most of the fish be deposited on his front porch instead of going home in the fisherman’s cooler? What happens when there is a system, or a structure, or an underlying reason that skills and fish aren’t enough? What happens when some people are powerless and have been robbed of a voice to change it?
Christians need to get serious about advocacy. Proverbs 31:8-9 tells us, “Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute.* Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” The sad truth is, we were all created in the image of God, with an inherent dignity and voice. But sin has crept into our systems and structures and cultures and laws — and has robbed that voice from some, while amplifying it for others.
So what do we do when Monsanto gives Haiti a big post-earthquake “gift” of their patented and pesticide-laden seeds? What do we do when seventy percent of immigrants who harvest our food don’t have access to the legal channels of immigration, and are thus vulnerable to all kinds of exploitation? What do we do when our lawmakers shirk their commitment to cutting poverty in half by 2015?
I’m convinced that the Lord requires something very simple of us: “…to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8). If we are committed to this kind of life, then we must speak. The truth is, in this sin-stained world, some of us have voices that are heard, while others have voices that are silenced. I appreciate when I see faith expressed in creative ways, like buying local food and committing to pay more for a hamburger if its farmer has treated the earth with more dignity. But I am convinced that this is not enough. We must offer all we have to be used by God — our money, our time, and our power. And our power is often our voice.
Speak out for those who cannot speak.
This Week’s Challenge
Questions for Reflection (share your response below for any one of these for an entry in this week’s drawing)
Ask yourself: what voice do you have that others may not? Can you vote? Can you call your legislator? Do you have access to learn the truth about injustice? Do you have a platform — your blog, your church, your neighborhood, your family — where you can be a truth teller?
Challenge to Action (post on your blog and add a link below to the specific post about this challenge or make a separate comment below before Friday for an additional entry into this week’s drawing).
On what issue do you feel most compelled to speak? Why? What organizations are also working on that issue?
The prize: This week Kate is giving away a a pound of Brew Justice coffee.
Yes, yes, yes!! This is why I LOVED World Vision so much when I went on my mission trip. They believe so strongly in not giving handouts, but making a community self sustainable. And their new microfinance program is doing amazing things. http://thediaperdiaries.net/frugal-friday-microfinance/
This post has really challenged me to think about what I can hands on do to help people “learn to fish”. I support organizations that do an amazing job of doing this, but I am going to think on what I can do personally. Great post!!
Luv to win the coffee for my hubby. He deserves it. swiener1[at]tampabay.rr.com
I can voice my opinion about my government regardless of whether it is a rant or a rave without fear of significant reprisal. The first amendment is very important to me. I call call out the hypocrisy of George Alan Rekers, Ted Haggart or other closeted fundamentalists and know that my voice will be heard.
The coffee looks good.
You shared some important thoughts! Our church has some social justice projects, but I realized I could get a lot more involved.
I feel passionately about education including quality and equal access. I can be a truth teller in my family and circle of friends.
i’d love to try this brand
oh boy. What a great post! I think that for me the whole idea of “justice” is becoming more of a driving force in eating locally/sustainably-produced foods than ever before. I have written in some of my blog posts about knowing where my money goes–and using my spending as a “vote” for one thing or another.
Kate made some really good points and posed questions that I need to go home and think about 🙂 I’ll be writing more in my blog later!
I speak out about an unusual issue. I speak about getting ready for a pandemic. I have participated in a goverment blogging session 3 years ago, that involved goverment officials, heads of major companies, health care and average citizens on how to prepare our country for a pandemic. I have spoken to local heath officials, informed physicans about pandemics, and told everyone I could how to prepare for one. I have been doing this for 7 years now. Unfortunately, as a country we are very unprepared.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
I am a truth teller as a participant in Pride Month!
I would love to win this coffee — we’re big coffee drinkers here!
There is one thing I find very annoying along the lines you are talking about. People who complain about the government and/ore president but do not vote for whatever reason. I have a friend who is not a US Citizen even though she has lived her for most of her life. Yet she is SO vocal about everything that is bad about this country and how much better her (old) country was. My unspoken response, “So go back if it’s so rotten here!”
digicat {AT} sbcglobal {DOT} net
I’m passionate about many things, especially widows, the poor, the disabled and animals
I love coffee, all coffeee. Glad to see more organizations helping others to learn to help themselves.
i feel lead to help others, the group i feel called to is prisoners and their families