Will You Get Involved in 2022?
“Children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action”
1 John 3:18
In today’s environment of name-calling, personal attacks and general divisiveness, as Christians, we are called to stop and take stock of where we have added to the problem. Yes, we can share our viewpoints, but we need to listen to others as well. It is possible to be committed to social justice and still think differently about issues and how to solve them. And although words are important, our love is to be evident by lives that show love through truth and action.
I was ordained as a vocational Deacon almost 15 years ago. I was charged to bring the church to the challenges of the world and to bring the world to the church. Now, I have strong opinions, as you all do, about many of the ills that are evident today in our world, but I am not going to air those in the church. I believe I was called to action to not just talk about problems, but to help right them: homelessness, food insecurity, health, human trafficking and immigration, to name but a few. As we start the New Year, one way to engage in action in showing love is to get involved in our Outreach programs that reach out, showing love to those in need in a very tangible way.
My personal passion, at the moment, is Christ Clinic in Katy. Christ Clinic serves low-income, uninsured and underinsured patients from across Greater Houston. In 2021, the clinic has seen 7,864 individuals. The majority was Hispanic, many patients were female, and most patients were between 35 and 54 years of age. The clinic receives no federal funding and has a budget of $2.1 million, which is a challenge to raise. There are so many different ways that you can be involved in helping others as you show your love for all people.
Martin Luther King Jr, said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
