9.04.2005

a response

So I have found myself asking the past couple of days "How am I supposed to respond?" "How is the church supposed to respond?" The truth is I really don't know. The obvious answer is donate money, but somehow in this case that just doesn't seem to be enough. I've considered rash actions like quitting my job and spending the next months, year, whatever somehow trying to help people rebuild houses and perhaps this is appropriate but at other times it feels like I'm just being dramatic.

A couple of things that I do feel somewhat certain about, however, have come to mind. First, I wholeheartedly believe that it is the church's job to provide for the needs and recovery of those whose lives have been turned upside down and that this is to be done as unto the Lord and for His glory that those whose needs are physically met by us might see the dependency on God ultimately for their spiritual needs which are far greater. I also believe that it is the government's job to provide for the security, safety and overall coordination of restoring the community but it is not their job to provide individual relief. Now I'm not saying necessarily that it is bad that this happens but, I think a couple of consequences occur because of it: the church tends to remove itself from the issue because "the government is handling it", the government's budget becomes astronomical and it is forced to cut in areas where it needs to be focusing because it can't afford to wear so many hats, and the government is easily accused of being "unfair" in the way it distributes relief.

People talk about this being "One nation under God" and that things need to "get back to what this country was founded on", and I can tell you most assuredly that this should never involve the government doing the job of the church. This country and government were founded upon the principle of a republic which means a government that is run by the citizens who elect it and whom it represents. Therefore, since a majority of Americans in the late 1700's were of a Christian upbringing and many actual Christians you find these references in our early documents, but now most Americans are not. The government should represent the interests of the group as a whole and not this Christian minority. That being said, if you want to see "America turn back to God", then get off your anus (I'm speaking to myself as well), open your wallet, and drop your political agenda in favor of loving people. Through this and by the grace of our God, people will turn to him - not because you get it legislated in. And a good place to start would be New Orleans. Of course going back to my earlier question, I still don't even know what I am supposed to do, but I do believe in faith that God will show me and I pray for the grace and boldness to do whatever it is that he tells me to do.

Finally, as a bit of info regarding the response to the question that will most assuredly be on the minds and possibly the lips of those you come in contact with who know you are a believer: "How could God, if He loves us, let this happen?" I can do nothing better than point you to someone who said it perfectly.

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