Christians Looking Out

SUN., AUG. 12, 1990, 6:34 AM
FARM, STUDY

One of the ranges in response to the Christian gospel is – to what extent do you look up and in or do you look up and out? Put another way, to what extent is the focus on individual salvation… or its complement, changing social conditions and working for the betterment of society? The ideal, of course (and I might as well state it early), is the born-again soul whose personal resources are committed to the service of others. But how do I look at the almost opposite ways of achieving this ideal?

You heard a presentation last evening by a Cuban pastor whose land is communist. Yet his church seems strong as it attempts to influence the continuing revolution toward ways that are Christian. It is unfortunate that, politically, your government must oppose this revolution and its leader and must thwart the attempts of its government to create a better life for its people. Yet this is the situation in which this church must function. Raoul can relate to Christians here, but he must speak in support of the revolution of which he is a small part.

As Jesus I spoke in revolutionary ways that are given much lip service, but interpreted differently in terms of personal action. Your culture allows many revolutionary causes, but your government takes a rather middle ground in relation to feeding and housing the poor, tending the sick, and providing education for all. Yours is a system where some get very rich and some a very poor, and in which the government encourages this inequality. There is a competitive spirit that produces much good, but also much greed. I even have to keep urging you to be more generous with your wealth. Your prosperity is in order that you may share. Your culture’s prosperity is built too much on luxuries.

I see the positive values in both extremes, and I also see the sins. One has sins of oppression, and the other of affluence and unmet needs in the midst of luxury. I see the values in the quiet, contemplative life and also in the life of revolutionary service. As Jesus I balanced these, but a single life over a short span of time cannot be the perfect model for a government with many diverse people.

My servant Ted and many in his church are more committed to social action than are you and your fellow Presbyterians. You should offer them some support and should follow leadings of Mine to participate with them in some ventures of faithful action. You gave some assistance to the hospice movement yesterday in your unique way. Look for those opportunities I offer you, and go ahead on your own to develop others that seem right to you.

I do not call on you to be a solid middle-of-the-roader. Rather, you shall balance toward the middle by actions and commitments that go toward both extremes. I want you to be looking out, but also looking to Me in this mystical way of Ours. For you, social action must not override this commitment to Me. For others, the call to action shall be stronger and more insistent than the call to meditative learning. Continue to know who you are and your priorities are and should be. This is difficult… and also quite easy.

Study yet again My sermon on the mount and also My proclamation to My disciples on “the night.” See how these fit together and also are complementary. Christians can find Me in dedicated social action, just as I can come in quiet contemplation of Scriptural truth. That is, there can be enlightenment in the reading and acceptance of what I said… and also in doing what I called on people to do. You remember the verse from your Sunday School days – Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.