IVP - Strangely Dim - Drinking from the Social Justice Fire Hose

Drinking from the Social Justice Fire Hose

If you're like me, you are sometimes overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks you must accomplish and responsibilities you dare not ignore. Between work, friends, family, hobbies, grocery shopping and budgeting, there seems to be little time (or energy) left to worry about things like global hunger, evil, modern-day slavery, justice or such like. These are big concepts, big issues. How in the world do people find the time, with all this other stuff in their lives, to worry about "causes"?

With everything going on around us, it's easy to be passive--maybe because we're busy, or because we know our church's tithes and other donations already support missions or social justice ministries, or because we feel helpless or hopeless, like we have nothing valuable or significant to contribute to the issues and causes that surround us. Let's face it: social justice issues are overwhelming. We're inundated with information about how much people are suffering, locally and globally. We're challenged to buy wisely--for our own household budgets, out of concern for the environment, for the sake of wise use of resources, sustainable agriculture, encouraging fair trade, and other related concerns.

Coupling these issues with legal terminology like fair and just can make it seem that, if we're not concerned with these very grave issues, or if we don't apply our personal resources to their alleviation, we are unfair, or unjust. Or guilty. And there's just too much! Why bother?

If you feel like this--like issues of global, social and biblical justice hit you like a drink from a fire hose--please allow me to encourage you: You are not alone. If you've previously ignored or felt disconnected from issues like these, let me challenge you: You can become involved very simply and easily, and efforts that you may feel are insignificant are in fact very important--like the accumulation of snowflakes in winter. Here are three ways you can begin.

Prayer. Perhaps the first and most important way you can become involved or more aware of justice issues is through prayer. One place you could start is to begin praying about the things that you notice day-to-day that trouble you, but which you may previously have just brushed off. I have found that my daily commute often allows time for me to reflect and pray about things that might not be present in my mind at other times. This could be as easy as praying for people begging along your commute route, reflecting on a news article or news issue from the morning or previous evening, or praying for someone you know who is currently serving in ministry or other justice work.

Research. This one may seem imposing and time-consuming. Who has hours to spend in the library? But it doesn't have to be complicated. Research, as with any journey, begins with but a single, small effort. Pick up literature from your church that describes its ministries; visit a website for a particular organization like Emmaus Ministries, International Justice Mission, World Relief, or World Vision. Read a book like Julie Clawson's Everyday Justice or Mae Elise Cannon's Social Justice Handbook. Have coffee with a friend involved in justice work or with someone who is involved in ministry at your church or in the community, and ask them why they're involved, what kind of work they do, why they're passionate about it, and even how you might help out sometime. Helping with children's ministries might lead you to learn more about orphan ministries in Africa or China. You just never know!

Activism and volunteer work. Take a deep breath, say a prayer and dive in! If you've been interested in a particular ministry, cause or organization, but just haven't taken that decisive step to become involved, do it now. If you don't think your schedule or budget will make deep involvement possible, start small and slow, and see what happens. Begin with an email or a phone conversation. Your skills, interests, talents, time and prayers can find a practical application and outlet, but only if you take the step to find out how.

The fact is, fire hoses are not drinking fountains. They're not meant to be drunk from, but pointed outward, toward places where they can do the most good. If the social justice fire hose has left you bewildered and dripping wet, take a step back, grab hold if it, and point it in the direction of injustice.

Posted by Christa Countryman at February 1, 2010 8:49 AM | TrackBack