Suffering and Hope

"I have three things I'd like to say today. First, while you were sleeping last night, 30,000 kids died of starvation or diseases related to malnutrition. Second, most of you don't give a shit. What's worse is that you're more upset with the fact that I said shit than the fact that 30,000 kids died last night."

Tony Campolo makes a great point. I mean how often do I realize the injustices that go on in this world? When do I ever broaden my perspective to outside my life? I've been really convicted over the past semester of God's call to social justice, to be ambassadors for God's redemption of his creation. I've not only realized that I am lacking in that aspect, I also do not really know where to begin. Sometimes, looking at this world, I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of pain, brokenness, and injustice. Where is God in the midst of all of this? What kind of God would ever inflict such pain to his loved ones. I think that it is easy for me to say that God has a purpose for this considering the fact that I am not the one experiencing the ache and the heartbreak, considering the fact that I am sitting here comfortably blogging about heinous evil in the world. Many times, I get depressed thinking about the seemingly endless amount of pain and the persistence of injustice in the world.

I'm reminded of Luke 13:1-20.

"There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."

From this passage, I think we can draw some points, the first point being many times bad things happen not due to the reason that one person's sins are more than someone else's. There is a deeper reason for the calamities that occur. We must understand that sin is the cause of such evil in the world, however, someone being "more" sinful does not bring more catastrophe on the person. If anything, our sin leads to the pain of those around us. The nature of sin is one of the benefit of the self and the neglect of others. I did not realize this for a long time, but the products we buy to benefit ourselves can result from the abuse of workers in another country. We, as Christ's followers given the benefit of growing up with power, money, and influence have the blessing and added burden of being God's instrument for social restoration. We are not the oppressed, we are the oppressors. We are not the poor nor naked, we are the ones who hoard the resources to ourselves. While everyone is on the receiving end of God's proclamation of spiritual restoration. We are on the giving end of God's glorious plan of social-economical restoration. Ultimately, God is the final judge of the occurrences of this world. God uses the calamities in the news to remind us of the fallenness of this world, of our desperate need for God, of our desperate need for repentance. In the fig tree illustration Jesus gives afterward, he illustrates God's mercy in holding off complete judgement to allow an opportunity for repentance. However, the story does not end there. Continuing on:

"Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11And there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability." 13And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. 14But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." 15Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" 17As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him."

While the people were hung up on the fact that a lot of calamity was occurring in the world, they completely missed a miraculous demonstration of God's healing power. I think many times, I become so easily blinded by the brokenness of this world and do not catch the glimpse of God's healing power.

"18He said therefore, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches."

From this passage, we begin to understand the inner-workings of human nature and God's kingdom. Our attentions are so easily captured by the sudden and spectacular demonstrations of calamity, while we are blinded to the subtle, continuous work of God's healing hand. I mean this woman was crippled for 18 years and on that sabbath, God healed her! How long are we willing to wait for God to work in our lives? Our eyes and emotions are tuned into tragedy, while our spirits need to be tuned into the slow, but lasting work of God's kingdom. At first, God's light may seem as small and insignificant as a mustard seed. But eventually, the seed becomes a huge tree! Abraham glimpsed the coming of the Messiah, but he never saw the full implications of God's covenant in his lifetime. Are we willing to wait a lifetime, or more than a lifetime for the manifestation of God's kingdom through our lives? God works through generations. While the pain and brokenness of this world cannot be ignored, for tragedy reminds us of our depravity and our need for Christ. Tragedy reminds us that God's work is not done yet. Let us not be blinded nor ensnared by the hopelessness of suffering. We live on the hope that while suffering is immense now, suffering will eventually fade away as the everlasting light of Christ grows brighter and brighter with each passing day. Look into the midst of the brokenness of the world and even our lives and see the glowing hope of God's healing power. Lord, open up our eyes to see you in jubilation and despair.