Nothing Dreadful Ever Happens

I have slept through most of this week with little purpose or plan since I have had the week off (terrible I know). But I have come to ponder about the subject of living out a gospel-filled life focused on compassion  (when not completely wasting my educated mind). It is a topic that is similiar to what my church has been focusing on in a series and I think it is worth struggling through to understand. What I have composed here is an updated and modified version of an essay I spontaneously wrote many years ago (maybe like 3?). The purpose behind what was written was to show that in understanding the struggles of those in this world, a deeper understanding of the gospel is found full of love, compassion, and sacrifice. This post is essentially the clip show episode of any sitcom (where old material is used to suppliment an entire episode) despite how lame that generally is, I promise this will be less lame:

As I drove home tonight I was able to see heat lightning in the distance from the clouds above. It was interesting to me to think how similar the flashes of light from cloud to cloud could be mistaken for far away bombs and gunfire going off. I know that is a little bit of a stretch, but sometimes I like to think of my life as interesting or at the very least a struggle (despite how much I don’t). It is that lack of struggle in my life that I began reflecting on as I continued to drive. I am not referring to a lack of internal struggle or necessarily any struggle, of that I have. I am referring to a struggle most in this and many industrialized countries will rarely ever see. Poverty and strife has its place in society and despite the best efforts, will most likely persist long into the future; it is sadly a condition necessary. But for the vast majority of the people in the world, the populous that has a voice, has a choice, and has the ability to see those who are struggling and say enough is enough and act, most would rather sit by and numbly ignore them. I am reminded of a lyric I am fond of, “They are sick, they are poor, and they die by the thousands, and we look away…cause we don’t have the time, here at the top of the world”. It is this mindset that I abhor and as a human and Christian look upon with utter frustration (though I participate in frequently).

Now, this all started about a thought about distant heat lighting and an overactive imagination about bombs and war. Where does struggle come into its place? Don’t worry we will get there. As a Christian it is difficult to see the state of the world and the state of the people in it. Granted I don’t want to see wealth and riches brought to the masses who are invisible, starving, and dying. I want to see love, peace, and life instilled instead. Yet, I look at the church in this country and compare it with stories from those in other countries, like Iraq and China. These countries are not known for their benevolence or their charity. More specifically they have very little love for Christians and their practices. Yet, despite being persecuted, killed, and generally not treated well, I see the juxtaposition of the American church by comparison which is enamored with wealth, safety, and a voice in politics, if that isn’t a crazy idea. Instead of being persecuted by their government because of their faith, Christians in the U.S. actually have a partial hand the government. I have one thing to say about this seemingly obvious gap between American churches and struggle-torn ones, which one works? Which one is God with us? Paul makes it very clear in his epistles the promise of struggle in a Christian’s life, yet the fire of struggle that fuels so many Christians around the world, is wholly absent in this country. In fact most go out of their way to avoid struggle or in any way feeling uncomfortable in living out the gospel and loving those around them. Where a general feeling of Malaise should arise in these situations there is only a shrug of apathy. Are we truly that unloving and cold as a body of believers?

 I am a Christian because I follow Christ; I am not a Christian because I follow the church. At this moment I would be saddened to be following the state of the church in this country. Granted again, that is a huge generalization, and there are many God loving and God honoring churches in this country, however, they are not the ones with a voice or the power, as it should be. So, struggle? Where is it? That is my question, and my point. It is my belief that struggle is a necessary requirement for Christians to flourish. To me suffering and struggle create perseverance and perseverance creates a strong faith and trust in God. Those with the least generally seem the happiest with what they have (and not surprising tends to struggle the most). Without the first part of the equation we as a church fail to live compassionate lives that include sacrifice, rather it’s easier without understanding struggle to just take care of our own.  Unfortunately it is a quality that is apparent in the modern, consumerized, money hungry, and society of saturation we live in. Yes, Americans struggle, on September 11 2001 Americans struggled, when an employee loses his job and ends up homeless and falls through society’s cracks, Americans struggle. But as a society that pales in comparison to struggle around the world on a day to day basis. What would happen if your life became more like a Chinese Christian? Would your faith grow or fall away? I would hope Job is an example in that situation. The desert brothers and the martyrs of the early church set the example. Don’t be apart of the world, and if necessary stand up and take the lashing for Christ’s gift. Faith has an infinite ceiling when mixed with oppression and strife. You want to see the American church follow Christ more deeply? Watch what would happen if bible studies were illegal, gathering in worship would be illegal, if proclaiming one was a Christian meant jail time. If those things were true you would roughly have the conditions many brothers and sisters in Christ experience on a regular basis around the world. I am not saying we should push for an oppressive dictatorship so we as Christians can have it like the good ole days, I am saying this: struggle. Make life less comfortable. Don’t quest for what will make life easier, struggle to find what will challenge it. We are not supposed to be playing by the world’s rules in the first place, so let go of them. If we can’t be in struggling conditions, bring them to you. I am not saying live on the streets, become an anarchist, or become a religious extremist, but call the status quo into question. Ask not what you can do for the world, but what God can use you to do in it, regardless of the consequences.

(Easier said than done I'm afraid).