Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
I don't know, when I read the poem in its entirety I was struck with the resonance sound of "What if church was like that?!" What if church was like that? What if church was a place that took care of the tired, the poor, the oppressed, those discarded by the world as worthless. What if, when a person had no other home to go to, they could find love and solace in the church?
I would encourage you to read that poem. Let it sink into your mind; touch your soul. Church isn't like that any more. It started out like that, to be sure, but we've gone from taking the poor to living the storied pomp of social status and privilege.
It doesn't have to be like that, though. What if it weren't? And, perhaps the greatest question of all: What must we do to make it like it used to be? What must we do to lift up the lamp and invite anyone who is able to come, finally, home?
1 comment:
Todd, thanks for the history lesson and the thought provoking questions to follow. The more I have stumbled through this life sinning like an idiot, I believe stronger than ever that those of us who call ourselves Christians must embrace transparency in our lives and the way we present ourselves to those around us. After listening to Bernie Anderson at GODencounters a few weeks ago my belief is even stronger. We think we can guard these most intimate secrets from God, those we love, and even ourselves. Secrecy is the devil's tool to keep us hooked in the sins of our darkness and prohibits us from being real and honest in our daily interactions. We blindly wander thinking no one knows the vice of our soul, forgetting the words of Numbers 32:23.
What if the world knew us as fellow sinners and not the perceived self-righteous bigots (although many do exist in all denominations) that is commonplace in society today? Would they realize that our only real difference is that we have accepted the greatest gift ever given to man...Salvation!? Would it help them understand that is available to anyone no matter their past? Would church buildings across the world be filled to capacity with the those who never felt "good enough" or "wanted"? Would the "worst" among society be drawn into a conversion and love affair with Christ? Would we be OK if it became reality? I hope that "we" find out someday...soon.
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