Fellow Citizens
Ephesians 2:19-22
19. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20. built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21. in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; 22. in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
The continuous coverage of the victims of Katrina has taken it’s toll. As soon as I fall asleep at night, my mind starts racing in the form of crazy dreams and its as if I don’t have an “off” switch these days. I really wanted to go back to bed when I returned from my walk and none of the scripture really stood out for me until I read these verses in Ephesians.
As I read verse 19, I thought all the families who are being sent all over the country as strangers and sojourners, with nothing but the clothes on their backs for the most part, and how they are being embraced by the communities in which they are placed. School children all the way to college students are instantly surrounded by a support system and “rules and regulations” are forgone in order to restore one part of the lives of these families and individuals. And families opening their homes to other families, communities offering housing , churches caring for the vulnerable in very tangible ways.
Driving to an from work each day I see a homeless man who is really a fixture of one of the main roads through my part of town; he‘s been traveling the same route for years and years. Each morning I see him headed east, same coat on, three plastic bags on each arm. Each evening, I see him heading west, same coat on, same bags. Once in a while he’ll have yellow shopping bags, or one more or less on his arm. I often wonder if I gave him a backpack if he would use it. I don’t want to intrude upon his private world, and yet I want to offer him a tangible acknowledgement that I am aware of his existence and think of him, and care for him. I don’t know if he would even talk to me or come near enough to my car if I were to stop, to even have a conversation.
I wouldn’t say my hesitation to act is “political correctness” because that is just not what I am about. It’s more about sensitivity to his choice (I assume it’s a choice) on how he wants to live. He never panhandles, I’ve never seen him talk to anyone, or deviate from his routine. My impression is he doesn’t want “help” and he just wants to be left alone. I don’t know what’s in those bags, or how he lives, or anything else about him. He’s a stranger and sojourner too. As a Christian, I am torn on what to do.
So often we are paralyzed with indecision, with uncertainty. But while politicians posture on who’s to blame for the “Katrina disaster” and what someone didn’t do what should have been done, and who should have called whom, and when, “regular” people everywhere are doing all they can to build up the body of Christ. They’re not throwing up their hands and saying that someone else is responsible for their displaced neighbors. They’re doing what needs to be done. And those who have been on-site from the beginning, working around the clock, risking their own health and personal safety, “get it” too.
Because of Christ, we are all one family -- God’s children -- and we are responsible for and to each other. I hope the politicians get it soon. The people are acting -- now the politicians need to work to set in place more systems to respond appropriately the next time a major disaster occurs. More than that, they need to get on their knees and look into their hearts along with the rest of us and listen to what God reveals to them is the right thing to do.
I’m not passing judgment. I included my self in this dissertation. Our faith unites us and we have the reassurance from Christ himself that there are many rooms in his father’s house. I thank God that there are many rooms in the homes of loving, generous, faith filled Americans, too.
I hope today you’ll look at the “foreigners and soujourners” who cross your path with eyes of Christ. And that you’ll extend Christian hospitality to each of them, as God reveals is appropriate.
Mary
