Matthew 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

I have fond memories of watching Sesame Street as a kid.  One of the recurring songs that would get stuck in my head was ‘One of these things is not like the other.’  (If you want a quick walk down my memory lane, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueZ6tvqhk8U ).  Well, this past Saturday I fully experienced that song!

In my role as the synod Mission Director I got to fly to Orlando to attend a training conference for people starting new ministries (yes, it was warm…no, I didn’t have time to be outside enjoying it).  It was amazing to see what new things God is doing in our Lutheran Church.  I had the chance to talk to people starting African ministries, Latino ministries, Hmong ministries, Chinese ministries, suburban ministries, urban ministries, ministries among the young, ministries among the aged, and even Minnesota small town ministries (I now know where Frazee, MN is!).   God’s energy flowing through these leaders inspired me.  They all had a great passion for telling others about Jesus Christ.  They gave of their lives to serve the God who died to save the world.  They knew that they were not the focus on the ministry – God was!  They all had powerful stories of God at work in their communities.

That Saturday morning, as we all shuffled into the hotel conference room for a day of learning and worship, I noticed a large group of nattily dressed people streaming into the room next to ours.  I stopped by to see what it was all about.  One sign caught my eye: FIRST MILLION TRAINING.  I stood at the back and listened in for a moment before I realized the purpose of their gathering:  these people had all come to learn how to earn their FIRST $1 million!  Of course, after the FIRST million a person could move on to the second…and the third…and the fourth… The focus was on charisma, intelligence, and correct decision making.  If you’re going to make $1 million, you have to be the right kind of person and you have to work hard to get ahead of everyone else!

One of these things is not like the others.  One group focused on using God’s power to expand God’s kingdom.   The other group focused on trying to use their own power to get rich quick.  One group opened and closed in worship (and included prayer throughout the day).  The other group focused on how they could use their own power for their own good

I’ve never seen such a stark contrast between the ways of God and the ways of the world.  God?  $1 million?  There’s not much of a comparison, actually.  Money may hold some power, but we proclaim a God who has MUCH more power than mere dollars.  We proclaim a God who has conquered death.  We proclaim a God who will love us and walk with us even when times are tough.  I’d like to see a bank account do that!

Poverty...and hope

To get this blog kicked off I thought I'd include some thoughts from the past month...

Isaiah 58:6-8

 ⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
   and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
   and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard

The Bible abounds in passages much like this one.  Over and over we hear about God’s concern for the poor and the oppressed.  God insists that people who have been blessed should share with those who don’t have much at all.

Last week I spent significant time in Atlanta.  I walked through some tough neighborhoods where it’s obvious that people are struggling.  In the midst of that, the challenges of poverty can seem overwhelming.  We live in a nation of abundance, yet 19% of our children live below the poverty line (which is $22,050 for a family of four).  These children have little say in their situation, but they must bear the weight of it every day.  It can seem hopeless!  Children should never go to bed hungry because they don’t have enough food to eat.  They are children of God and God grieves when they suffer.

Yet with our God, there is always hope.  God has provided this earth with more than enough for all people.  Our Christian challenge is to find ways to alleviate poverty in our nation.  The root causes of poverty are very complex, making solutions hard to agree on.  How are people empowered to break out of the cycle of poverty?  What role does the government play in caring for the poor?  Where do charities fit into the solutions?  What systems of injustice hinder efforts to end poverty?  

No matter what side of the political aisle you are on, we all have the same Christian calling to care for the poor.  In your life, how does God call you to loose the chains of injustice, set the oppressed free, share food with the hungry, or provide the poor wanderer with shelter?  Our Christian faith gets wrapped up in how we answer that question!