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There, but for the grace of God, go I

Photo by Yogendra Singh on Unsplash

Friends, thanks for joining me this Friday as we consider our impact on this world. Today, I wanted us to consider our “brotherhood” with those that suffer.

There but for the grace of God, goes John Bradford

John Bradford (Sixteenth Century)

This was a quote from John Bradford on seeing a group of prisoners being led to execution. I believe this was spoken out of good intention, paraphrasing Paul’s view of the mercy and grace of God that led to his salvation. This quote has also become quite common in our vernacular.

However, this phrase is now used in a manner completely at odds with the original intent. As with all things, this has become a self-involved statement (both within communities of faith, and without). And that is not to name and shame anyone, it is simply our human failing. To explain what I mean, let me recount a story about my own children.

We pray with our kids before bed, and often I suggest that they pray for those who are less fortunate. I tell them of kids from back home who may not have a roof over their heads or parents to provide. The intent is to instill a value of service, and of wanting to have a real impact in the world around us.

However, one night, my children interpreted this as “Thank you God that we have so much nice stuff, more than the children who have to eat from the trash” (I paraphrase). It really shocked me for a second, and of course I set them straight.

How we lose our way

It is a normal human response to subvert the need to be grateful for our blessings (which ought to motivate us to use those blessings in serving of others), into a Pharasaic view of our own exceptionalism. Part of this is a need for validation, part is a survival instinct. We believe that we can’t really impact the problem so othering the problem is a way to protect ourselves.

But the truth is we are not exceptional. The intent of the quote is quite the opposite! That we could have been those less fortunate (through the gateway of a few bad decision or poverty or a myriad of other factors), and that we ought show compassion.

We subvert that need to show compassion to others into a glorification of ourselves, and we completely misuse the blessings we have been given. But for the circumstances we were born into, the education we have had, we would have also been “unfortunate”.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God,”

2 Cor 1 : 3-4

The elderly and vulnerable

In that spirit, I saw this video, and it reminded me of the plight of the elderly and abandoned. In a lot of countries around the world where population growth is in decline, cultural mores are being set on their heads. The concept of filial responsibility is being abandoned. I see it in Asia, and here as well. We will see a greater need in the coming decades to support and care for those who are vulnerable / abandoned.

"I barely feel anything any more": Hong Kong's homeless people who spend their nights at McDonald's branches have been forced out onto the city's streets.

Posted by South China Morning Post on Monday 27 July 2020

In this spirit, let’s spend some time meditating on how we can be a blessing to the most vulnerable. Let’s consider the elderly in our own communities and around the world who are being abandoned in their time of need.

I’d like to highlight a work that is being done in South India called Gilgal Ashwasa Bhavan. This is an organization that houses and takes care of those that are elderly, and those that have been abandoned by society because of disability or other needs. Third world societies particularly are affected by this issue. Families don’t have economic cushions to take care of those that are in need of time and care.

My grandfather was involved in the founding of this organization, so I have a close connection to them. Please prayerfully consider learning about and supporting them, or any organization in your community or abroad that provides resources for the destitute.

http://www.gilgalcharity.org/aboutus.php

“There, but for the Grace of God, go I”

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Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?

Good morning, and welcome to another Fasting Friday. If you are in my timezone, you’re probably starting to feel the hunger pangs of the missed breakfast. Hang in there, and let’s take some time to focus on something outside of ourselves.

This week, I wanted to focus on the brotherhood, our shared connections. I’m just as guilty as the next person of thinking of the world in terms of me and mine and they and theirs. It’s what is variously called “othering” or “dehumanizing”. This is insidious, because by doing so, we remove empathy from the equation. If we dehumanize another person, we can justify a lot, and we can ignore their suffering because they are “they” rather than “we”.

In this context, I read about the instability in Haiti. It’s easy for us to read, raise eyebrows, make a comment and browse on. But let’s pause and consider the human realities that this news presents. The president was assassinated. How, where and why, I leave to the news sources. I’m just encouraging us to consider the human impact of this sort of situation. Watch the video below to understand the context of the current political situation in Haiti.

Vice news (includes a short interview with the recently assassinated President Jovenel)

Too many times leadership is not concerned for the pain and suffering felt by the people under their leadership and seem to get away with it. Wicked men propagate wickedness, wicked men crave power and enforce their tyranny on the weak. Whether individual leaders are wicked or not is not for us to discuss.

What is of concern to us is the many that are suffering in Haiti. Haiti has had a long and difficult history. After being one of the only slave led rebellions to achieve freedom and nationhood, Haiti has long been mired in political unrest with one dictator after another, endemic corruption, subject to natural disasters and rife with poverty. It is truly a remarkable contrast when you realize that Haiti is one side of the island and the Dominican Republic on the other side of the island. The economic and political differences could not be more stark. The DR is generally stable and relatively prosperous.

But the people of Haiti suffer. I had the blessing of being part of a mission trip to Haiti (which resulted in me naming my first child Evangeline). It was an incredible experience and I appreciate the philosophy behind the organization I went with. They believed that the “outsider” was not there to “rescue” the Haitians, rather that their role was to empower the Haitian people to effect change on their own. They would have us go out to a village and build buildings, paint houses and run medical and humanitarian clinics, but these were delivered through local leaders, so as to establish the local leaders. The intent was to eliminate Instagram missionaries and to encourage real change.

We had the good fortune to meet an amazing group of Haitians as we volunteered at the orphanage and at the local communities. In spite of their difficulties and circumstances, they remained joyful and musical. In a real way, it helped us to connect to them and realize that at the core, we are all the same. A Haitian child suffering is as painful to the heart of God as an American child suffering. We are all made in His image.

Every time you read of another natural disaster impacting Haiti, remember that this is affecting a brother and a sister. Every time you read another glib or breathless news headline, dig deeper and pray over the people that will be impacted by those news.

In terms of what can we do, allow me to introduce the team that I joined on my trip to Haiti. The organization is called Mission of Hope, Haiti. They are a genuine group of people that are looking to effect change through empowering the people of Haiti rather than just throwing money or resources at the problem (which frankly, in a place like Haiti with endemic corruption would never get to the people in need). They believe in engaging with people with a heart of service around the world to come and serve, not to be seen or to take pictures.

Pray over Haiti and the Haitian people today. May God move your heart to have an impact in this world!

I would also ask you to consider supporting Mission of Hope today. Financial support is always a great way to start making an impact (you can give at https://missionofhope.com/). But also please consider how we can physically “put our hands to good work”, and plan a trip for you and your community to Haiti once things calm down to help build something that will have eternal value.

Thank you, and God Bless!