Justice or
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just us
Downtime Justice or is notjusta down time us
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How our stewardship contributes to a new world
How Stewardship our stewardship contributes of self and to a new world renewing the spirit
What was the last cause you joined? What was it that motivated you to care, to get involved?
What was the last cause you joined? What was it that motivated So what happens when you do and do and do and your energy you to care, to get involved? and spirit are exhausted? What happens when there is literally nothing left inside you to share? Who cares for the caregiver; Sadly, many of the campaigns I see people joining these days what sustains the prophet; where do we all go for renewal? involve a high degree of self-interest: preventing something from coming into the neighbourhood, stopping a school closure, The United Church is often accused of being a “works or demanding that subsidies be maintained. But how often have denomination”—a body of believers who practise deeds of we opted to join forces with others in a cause that was greater love with little mention of the Spirit that sustains. It’s a fair than our self-interest? criticism.
Sadly, many of the campaigns I see people joining these days involve a high degree of self-interest: preventing something from coming into the neighbourhood, stopping a school closure, or demanding that subsidies be maintained. But how often have we opted to join forces with others in a cause that was greater than our self-interest? None of us has the time or resources to right every injustice or be part of every worthy movement. But we do have the time, talent, and treasure to make some cause our own, especially one where vulnerable people without access to power need our solidarity. Go to the local coffee shop, attend community meetings, or read your local newspapers and become informed.
None of us has the time or resources to right every injustice or Try as I might—liturgy, Taizé services, walking the labyrinth, be part of every worthy movement. But we do have the time, buying one of those miniature waterfalls, long periods of silence, talent, and treasure to make some cause our own, especially devotionals, and meditation exercises—nothing seemed to give one where vulnerable people without access to power need me the renewal I was craving. My own Sabbath time came with our solidarity. Go to the local coffee shop, attend community the discovery of coffee. My high-energy, hard-driving, peoplemeetings, or read your local newspapers and become pleasing personality can literally stop and smell the coffee. informed.
And don’t stop there—expose yourself to stories about marginalized people worldwide, like people in Sudan, people in the Middle East, or fair-trade coffee growers. You can write letters for Amnesty International, join the local chapter of Stephen Lewis’s Grandmothers campaign (linking Africa with our continent), or form a cooperative that buys coffee at a fair price.
Making When asked time what to listen faithfulness as well as is all actabout, re-creates the prophet my spirit Micah and enlarges answers, my “Topurpose. do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). You can change your day with a smile, you can make one person happy with a generous deed, but you can truly change our world only when you venture out in an act of justice.
When asked what faithfulness is all about, the prophet Micah answers, “To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). You can change your day with a smile, you can make one person happy with a generous deed, but you can truly change our world only when you venture out in an act of justice.
Why do those of us who seek Jesus care about such things? Because Jesus did. When the rich young ruler was lost and confused, Jesus told him to renounce his power and privilege and he would be healed. Further, Jesus wanted the man to deliver some of his wealth to the poor, to make a concrete change for the many who were poor, and to save the souls of the few who were rich.
Written by Kevin Little for The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada, 2008. Permission is granted to photocopy for congregational use.
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Written by Kevin Little for The United Church of Canada/L’Église Unie du Canada, 2008. Permission is granted to photocopy for congregational use.
070326
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