Check out this Mark Scandrette quote, from An Emergent Manifesto.
"Many of us are rediscovering the social ethics and tangible compassion of Jesus. This is a healthy development, particularly for those of us groomed in traditions in which the social dimensions of Jesus's life were separated from his role as Savior. We are developing a more global awareness of needs and opportunities for compassion, justice, and resource sharing. At our best, inspired by the Spirit and motivated by love, we seek justice, reconciliation, healing, and restoration for those who are sick, hungry, thirsty, naked, lonely, or imprisoned. At our worst, we are satisfied by our more progressive political views and token checks written out to the "right" organizations. As my colleague Nate Millheim often says, "Sometimes we think we are caring for the needs of the poor because we now read about issues of justice."
For some who awaken to the call for healing, the weight of privilege and the weight of probable responsibility for systemic global injustice can be overwhelming. Because of this there is a temptation to believe that everything is wrong - what we buy, how we eat, where we live, the vehicles we drive. An acute sense of free-floating guilt haunts and paralyzes the person. In this state we can become the worst kind of activists or moralists, motivated by shame instead of love and imagination. Our efforts at compassionate action need to go beyond mere sentimentality and more integrative means of participating in the healing of our world. The mandate to "seek first the kingdom" propels us to take and engaged and experimental approach to what it means to be faithful in our time. The Spirit of God that hovered over all creation is still present in our world, inviting us to collaborate with our Maker in the fulfillment of God's reign on earth."
I think I swing between motivation by love and motivation by guilt.
How about you?
4 comments:
I am a "swinger" too , Vic! ( Between love and guilt)
when i am at my most miserableness, i find i am in a state of overwhelmedness(sorry, lots of ness's) this being overwhelmed by the hugeness of need in this world and feelings of how small and insignificant i am to be of any help leads me to a state of looking inward instead of outward...thus my misery. i know i can't change the world but if i can find some people who are feeling like me than maybe we can work together and love a very small part of the world that might not be loved otherwise! i'm so ready for that!!
cheryl, i know what you mean. it feels so huge and overwhelming. but, i do think that we can change the world! not alone, but i don't think that we are intended to do it alone. if we work together, we can make a small difference. but imagine, if everyone did that one small thing.....that one small thing that changed some small part of the world....lots of small pieces make up the whole puzzle! i am ready for it too!
I've lately been more aware of the God nudges in my life and trying to actually respond to them instead of ignoring them because I feel overwhelmed or not up to the task. Even after I respond I still wonder what God is thinking in having me involved in a person's life, but I just keep at it until God nudges me elsewhere. I don't necessarity feel I'm making a difference, but I just have to trust that God knows what God is doing.
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