Finding Solid Ground
Faith as a Beacon in Turbulent Times
We weren't meant to visit outer space. If so, God would have made humans with mechanisms to literally defy gravity, break through the stratosphere, and breathe universal air. Still, in "Tower of Babel" attempts to make a name for themselves, people like Elon Musk insist upon blowing up people's backyards to reach the heavens.
I just heard a news story about a SpaceX spacecraft exploding in Texas, sending shockwaves through the town that resembled earthquakes, which Musk dismissed as "just a scratch."
Residents are scared. They don't know if they should be preparing for an apocalypse or to fight their noisy, rich neighbors who have the keys to authority and are hell-bent on disturbing the peace. Right now, the U.S. President, Donald Trump, is moving military bombers and assessing whether or not to join Israel in waging war against Iran for God knows what reason.
It's a shit show out there where ordinary people are waiting for the ball to drop and for political leaders to decide their fate. At any given moment, whether we like it or not, we could be involved in a war and left to die.
So what do we do? Pack it up and try our luck in a new country? Rebel in the streets? Hide in a corner?
In a chaotic world where people are starving, fearful, and often helpless, we must remember that our actions matter. We can pray, serve, and fight, each of us making a difference in our own unique way and without fear.
As a Black Christian woman whose ancestors endured slavery, the great depression, and the crack epidemic, I feel like the Floridian we all mock on the news for sheltering in place during a category-five hurricane. I'm not going anywhere or burying my head in the sand. On the contrary, I'm using my voice to raise awareness of what's happening worldwide and brainstorm solutions.
The Bible teaches us that God is close to the widows, orphans, and immigrants, specializing in redeeming the outcasts and rewarding the faithful regardless of their socioeconomic status. God has carried his people through Egypt and has raised folks from the dead. Therefore, we must also align ourselves with the causes of the most marginalized, educating ourselves, taking a stand, getting involved, and recognizing that victory is guaranteed.
Moving to Mars won't solve our problems, nor will waiting for politicians to intervene on our behalf. When times are challenging, and we're unsure about what to do, we must lean on the word of God to discern how He feels about a particular topic, then use the gifts He has given us to spread that authoritative word to others. This means that we should not disagree on fundamental human rights or how to allocate resources responsibly to ensure the well-being of people, but adhere to God’s call to love by doing what we can, where we are, and with what we already have to foster a culture that bears the fruits of the Holy Spirit and shares them with those furthest away from power.
Wherever we go, we can shine a light on the world's issues with the grace and wisdom of Jesus. We can highlight injustice and offer a unique perspective that encourages people to examine and investigate the messages they receive through a lens of holiness and faithfully participate in the world with hope, compassion, and common sense. Instead of building rocket ships to escape our circumstances, subscribing to tyranny for a false sense of security, or developing apathy that distances us from our communities, we can maintain righteous interdependence by becoming free thinkers who submit only to God's authority and do our part to help heal the world, one corner of influence at a time, promoting love and justice in word and deed.
