Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger

I just finished reading Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger by Ronald J. Sider.  Overall I was incredibly challenged and impressed by this work, a prophetic message for all Christians from a wise and passion seeker of justice.  Most noteworthy for me was the way Sider connected social change and Christian conversion.  He asserted that most social change requires a change in values and character in individuals.  And, for the church in particular, Christian conversion can be the source of that change.  This is what he has to say,

Two things are important: first, evangelism; and second, the whole message of Scripture.  Evangelism is central to social change.  Nothing so transforms the self-identity, self-worth, and initiative of a poor, oppressed person as a personal, living relationship with God in Christ.  Discovering that the Creator of the world lives in each of them gives new worth and energy to people psychologically crippled by centuries of oppression.

The second important component is sharing the whole biblical worldview…Biblical faith affirms the goodness of the created material world and teaches that the Creator and Lord of history demantds justice now for the poor of the earth. (p.231)

It seems to be a matter of shalom–peace with God and wholeness.  The good news is powerful and transformational.  Having basic needs met also brings well-being and wholeness.  To be a person that cares about the poor means that one needs to be a person that is generous with the Gospel.  And likewise, a person that cares about the good news of Christ and the Word of God will find that he or she cannot help but seek justice for the poor.

Watching a Woman Get a Parking Ticket

I saw the man in the uniform
see the blinking meter.
I saw him put the ticket
under the wiper.
I felt bad for the man.
Who loves the guy that gives the tickets?
Little reprimands.
This guy in the dark blue shorts,
light blue short-sleeved shirt,
flourescent yellow reflective vest.
It’s a wonder that reflective vest
keeps him from getting run over
by angry, punished citizens.
She left her car there another hour.
I saw the woman return to her car,
put her purchases in her trunk.
I watched the whole episode unfold.
As I suspected, she didn’t see the ticket until she was ready to pull away.
Looking up at the unfortunate note under the wiper,
Her pursed lips were unmistakable.
I’m sure she cursed the one who put it there–
whoever he was.
Her shadowy villain who creeps around in his
blue, short clothing and ghastly yellow vest.
Like an apparition.  We never see the guy who gives us the tickets.
But somehow, he sees us in our dirty, little, secret sin.
Over-parking.
I saw him.
I’m sure the man emerges from his vampirey,
parking ticket underworld
to a lovely family and a much-appreciated paycheck.