ideas about social justice...

Today has been a jam-packed day of learning, work, being in community, and so much more. It all began with the alarm sounding at 5am this morning. After being disoriented and attempting to wake up at such a god-awful time, we began our journey to the Epiphaneia conference. Dan Young and myself were working for the admissions office at the conference, but we had the privilege of being able to sit in on most of the sessions. It was so much information to take in and process about social justice.

Shane Claiborne began his morning talk with a quote from Mother Teresa. It goes something like (or not exactly like) this:

It is fashionable to talk about helping the poor,
but it is not fashionable to talk to the poor.

In reflecting back on what I learned today, what I was reminded of, and what I was challenged by, this quote encompasses the essence of my feelings and fears and challenges. So many times we talk about social justice issues, and we feel good about ourselves for taking the time out to think about and ponder such ideas, but what do we do after those talks? We walk away stunned and confused as to how we are to incorporate such radical, yet necessary steps in our own lives. Questions arise in my mind such as: how extreme do we have to go? what does true Christianity look like? in what ways is the Lord calling us to use our gifts in social justice? are we truly being challenged and are we making real sacrifices for others? These questions and so many more arise when we talk about social justice. And they are questions that I am asking myself after coming out of such a conference.

These are questions to think about over a long period of time and to struggle over together. Once again, the Lord is teaching me more and more about community. We can't (and are not supposed to) figure this out and process it all on our own. It's about being in community and journeying together on this path called life.

There are so many other issues that came up today that I (and others) need to process. I can't write about it all now, or this would turn into a book. But as we struggle through these and other related issues in our own minds and hearts, don't forget to struggle through them together with others. In all likelihood others are asking the same questions as you, and it might be nice to bounce ideas off each other and to simply be in community as we figure this community thing out together. That is one thing I was reminded of today: that social justice in all it encompasses is about community in some form or another.

I will leave you on this last note. Think about and struggle together to better define and learn how to truly practice this verse: "to love your neighbour as yourself".