By the Way: Trying to bridge gap between what we have and what others need
By Medicine Hat News on January 19, 2019.
On Tuesday, we hand out groceries. It is one of the things that the folks at St. John’s Presbyterian Church have done for a while — one of the many things that encouraged me to answer a call to minister with them. St. John’s is downtown; an obvious pile of bricks, that happens to be about halfway between Tim Hortons and the courthouse. The foot traffic is diverse and constant. The neighbourhood is much changed from the early days of the congregation’s existence. What has not changed is the congregation’s commitment to the neighbourhood and the city, and most importantly, the people who come to our door. It’s hard to do that, to care for strangers. It’s difficult to bridge the gap between what we have and what others need, but we’re trying, and we’re not alone. It’s hard because the gap is so wide, and our economic system favours those on the “have” side of the equation. Capitalism at its best is meant to provide an equal opportunity marketplace. We are encouraged by stories of successful folks who have “pulled themselves up by the bootstraps” — and it’s a good system, to be sure — but you can’t “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” if you don’t have boots. When capitalists get involved in community outreach and social programs, good things can happen. They bring serious money to the table — they usually have admirable goals — and the result can be real change. But ultimately the goal is to create more capitalists. Successful people make good customers, and good customers make for a healthy economy. And while it’s true that everyone can benefit from a healthy economy, those who benefit the most are those who have the most. As much as I am a ‘creature of capitalism’ (and a willing one, at that) I am also a follower of Jesus, and Jesus proposed a different kind of engagement with the world that ought to lead us to a different pattern of care. Jesus called the poor blessed and warned those who were well fed that they would know hunger (Luke 6:20-25). He famously advised against storing up treasures on earth (Matthew 6: 19). When people were hungry, he fed them — often out of nothing (see Luke 9: 10ff). Over and over again we are told that Jesus did not find favour among the perfectly observant, nor with those who had power or station or worldly means; he is, instead, criticized (by the powerful) for the company he keeps. A “glutton and drunkardÉ” they called him; guilt by association was a thing even then. The groceries we distribute on occasion do nothing to combat the systemic poverty that is present. These hampers are hardly even a temporary stop-gap. But we continue to offer this tiny bit of grace. Not because it will convince people that the ‘need Jesus’, but because we have decided to follow Jesus. Rev. Jeff Lackie is minister of Word & Sacrament, St. John’s Presbyterian Church. 8-7
