In my previous articles on social justice, I highlighted that what the Lord requires of us is to “Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). We looked at Jesus saying that the greatest commandments are to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30). In defining “neighbor”, Jesus, in the story of the Good Samaritan, showed us that neighbors can be strangers, foreign to us, who neither look, think nor act like us, coming from every corner of the world. We’re all global citizens, with global neighbors. So, let’s explore what it means to love those neighbors near and far.
The Bible asks, “if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?” (1 John 3:17). That’s a tough question. The scripture goes on to say we shouldn’t love with just words or speeches but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18). I’m no authority on love, but like you, I know love when I see it. It’s not just a feeling; we know love when we see it because love is an action verb. We show love through our actions. That means we need to learn about needs and work to help our neighbors, the foreigner or stranger who doesn’t look, believe or act like us. Yes, that’s what God requires of us!
Living in the US, we are privileged in this world. Living in Loudoun county, the richest county in the country, we generally have access to privileges in good schools, water and resources that aren’t universally available to our neighbors globally, as well as to opportunities that are not even available in other parts of the US, or even to those in other parts of our zip code. We are privileged. We have time, talent and treasure to offer our neighbors, combined with the power that comes with privilege. How we use those is significant.
Injustice prevails because there is a lack of action by those with power, but we need to realize that each one of us has power. We each can use our voices, our talents and treasure to shine a light on injustice suffered by our neighbors. Since the Bible instructs us to show love by our actions, we don’t have the options of crossing the street like the priest in the story of the Good Samaritan and pretending we don’t see our hurting neighbors. We need to be neighbors that see pain and try to alleviate it, even in small measure. The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke eloquently about the “Appalling silence of good people”. Good people who love in words, but not in actions. Edmund Burke, an Irish philosopher famously said that “the only thing necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing”. We can’t do nothing or be silent.
Right now, Covid 19 has laid bare the injustices in our systems. So many of our neighbors are suffering. We have learned that if we are poor, black or brown, our chances of dying from Covid 19 are double those of the rest of the population. Less access to health care, nutritious food and clean water are taking further tolls. The poor who are jailed and can’t make bail are seeing 33-day sentences turning into life sentences when they die in jail from Covid. They die because they can’t make bail in a system that discriminates against the poor and those without privilege! Asians are suffering from hate crimes—being blamed for Covid-19! Our hearts should break when we hear about another member of the LGBTQIA+ community who has been killed because of who they are. We should want to shout when we see the senseless murders of innocent people of color just because they aren’t white! We should scream at the hate crimes. These injustices and thousands more prevail when good people do nothing. Love means I need to stand with my neighbor as she/he fights a battle; for their health or any right to have justice.
In the story of the Good Samaritan, religious leaders avoid caring for their neighbor; passing on the other side, trying to not see the needs. If we are silent, we too are passing by. God didn’t provide that option for us. We can’t be silent and shouldn’t because God promises that “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteous” (Matt 5:6).
I hope that you will look at your neighbors, learn about them, and when you see their needs, you will be driven to action. Use your privilege! You could start by learning about your unconscious bias—which we all have. Invest in an online course from the United Methodist Church
https://www.gcorr.org/online-course-implicit-bias/
or check out the full spectrum of resources of the UMC on these subjects, or those we’re posting on the CUMC site. Keep your eyes open for events celebrating Gay Pride month throughout June. Learn about your LGBTQIA+ neighbors and their needs and fears.
There are many opportunities for you to help because there are many injustices. Our website has some of those opportunities, but you can find dozens more to share with us. I encourage you to join us, learn and fit in where you can help to seek justice for all. As Mohandas Gandhi said:
“Be the change that you want to see in the world.”
