Two questions, at two different times, prompt us to action today
By Dean Collins
I’m sitting in Union Station in Washington D.C. as I begin this morning. For the last two days, I have been learning from ONE.org where I have partnered as a faith leader to advocate on behalf of those in the world living in extreme poverty.
It is easy to look at the statistics on global poverty and forget that these numbers represent human lives. Over 700 million are now living in extreme poverty! And the number is rising due to the impact of the pandemic, the devastating results on farming caused by the war in Ukraine, and a current and long famine in Africa.
Every year information about the loss of human life due to extreme poverty and preventable disease reaches our ears. But it seems that somehow we do not hear (or maybe in the busyness of life we hear and forget), distracted by something else that seems more urgent. I have found that if I do not force myself to step away from media and even from other important responsibilities I cannot hear God’s voice or the voices of his agents who daily work to be the hands and feet of Jesus on behalf of the poor. Jesus did say that the poor are always with us. He didn’t suggest that their needs are always as urgent as now.
Does Jesus care?
I read John chapter 11 this morning, along with Ezekiel 37. Both passages are likely familiar. When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Mary and Martha were frustrated and possibly in shock that Jesus had not arrived earlier when they had notified him of the serious condition of Lazarus. Jesus had learned of the situation two full days earlier. Why didn’t he drop whatever he was doing and come and heal Lazarus? Doesn’t Jesus care for those in need? And especially his friends?
I think we know the answers to these questions. Why didn’t Jesus come immediately? First, Jesus can act immediately in any and all situations. But we can’t see the total of what he is doing. We know he is love both genuine and sufficient. He demonstrated as much on the cross and made it possible for everyone or every tongue and tribe to be saved and have the gift of eternal life.
In some ways, I suspect Jesus places the urgency on his followers. As kingdom citizens who pray that God’s will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, aren't we to do what God desires with our time, our relationships, our influence, and our money? I can’t imagine that Jesus wants any child to die of starvation or preventable disease when we have the mechanisms and the resources to provide and to prevent such tragedies.
This is the third time I have gone to senators and to members of Congress asking for them to renew funding to feed the poor and provide tools for local farming and to assist in providing vaccinations for diseases that can be prevented. I have also asked for cosponsorship or reauthorization of important programs like PEPFAR and Global Food Security (GFSA) to address these issues. I advocate in this way not only because it is important for the sake of the poor, but also because addressing these issues across the world is the right thing in terms of their impact on national security and foreign relations. As citizens in a free country, we have both the right and the responsibility to speak to those in power to do the right thing.
In the story of Lazarus, Jesus was working on the ultimate solutions of eternal life. John would later record that Jesus delayed his arrival so that God would be glorified by what he did in the resurrection of Lazarus. I suspect Lazarus, Mary, and Martha all had their frustrations with Jesus completely satisfied when Lazarus walked out of the grave and later sat down for dinner with them.
Can dry bones live?
So what about Ezekiel and his preaching over dry bones? Those bones were dead because the people of God had failed to live and be the people of God as he had directed. Horrific events happened as a direct result of their continued failure to repent and follow God. After chapters and chapters of recounting these events, God directed Ezekiel to preach to the dead.
The almighty asked Ezekiel this question: “Can these bones live?” The prophet answered, “Oh God, you know!”
As I look at those in many places near death with bones showing through their fragile bodies, I wonder if the Lord might be asking you and me the same question. Can these bones live? We could answer with Ezekiel and give a great spiritual answer, “Oh God, you know!” But I wonder if God might not be hoping that we would remember the question we will be asking one day when we hear his invitation to come because we are blessed and have provided for him when he was in great need. Our question of God will either be one of surprise or shock. It will also be our last question and it will be more important than all the questions of life.
We get to decide now which question we will finally ask Jesus on our day of judgment:
“Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”
“Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Our answers are directly tied to using our voice to advocate for the poor and needy as much as they are personally to share our resources so that dry bones might live.
Your time with God’s Word
John 11:1-16, 21, 23-37, 40-44; Ezekiel 37:1-14; Matthew 25:37-40, 44-46 ESV
Photo by Graeme Dott via Wikimedia Commons
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