"What's it all for?"

We're reflective today as churches across America are recognizing Freeom Sunday.
Just a day - one day - for the Church to really focus on the plight of injustice around the world.
Churches across America will bring before their congregations, perhaps for the first time, news that slavery still exists; and in fact, there are 45+ Million people trapped in slavery today.

I think as a youth I so rarely came in contact with injustice, that I could scarcely grasp its meaning as an adult. We grew up in a little "utopia" hometown where the only "injustice" that could be found was the occasional school bully. I do remember knowing in those moments what justice did look like, however. We lived next door to a school and I have vivid memories of my mother, all five feet of her, barreling down our front sidewalk to confront a punk kid who was picking on a classmate. We'd watch in awe as she "shut him down" and the confrontation would dissipate.

It was a good feeling to witness a wrong being made right. I could grasp that. Our upbringing schooled us very well to understand what "right" looked like. And for me, perhaps that's where this recognition started. But our world is full of bullies where the stakes are far higher than getting your new backpack dumped in the curb.

The International Justice Mission has made it their calling to seek injustice being done to the poor and those with no influence in life and advocate for them.

We know a little bit about what it feels like to live under injustice.
Three years ago our family entered into a home purchase agreement for a beautiful 4-bedroom farmhouse just outside city limits. It was "perfect": a few acres to garden, let the kids run wild, and raise chickens! But after all the hand shakes and papers were signed and we started sending inspectors out to the property, the shimmering vision of country living turned into a dense fog. The well water report was staggering: e coli in the water at levels many times higher than "acceptable" by testing professionals.

Instantly, the sellers dug in their heels and what we thought would be a smooth transition to glorious country living screeched to a halt. We found ourselves bogged down with 6 months of threats of a lawsuit, water tests by everyone up to the State Health Department and a weak attorney whose plan was to just pay whatever amount necessary to appease the sellers and get out from under the contract.

Waking up every morning with "that house" looming over us was like putting on a heavy weight as soon as my head left the pillow. The slander we witnessed from this supposedly Christian couple added insult to injury. Accolades for my husband's firefighter profession, and "your kids are so cute; keep the lawn furniture!" turned into accusations that we were trying to cheat them and back out of the deal; as if holding a standard for our family's health safety was criminal. The worst part of the deception was the fact that there seemed to be no way out. We were hemmed in by a real-estate laws and struggled to be our own advocates with a confusing contract.

Looking back, I can still feel that dread in the pit of my stomach - remember vividly the sense of "no way out!" and the pain it put our young family through. But I also see very clearly why we had to struggle through this experience.

Shortly after the home purchase nightmare was finally over, we began reading updates from the International Justice Mission and hearing about innumerable cases of injustice that devastated people's lives around the world. Gary Haugen, the founder and President of the International Justice Mission gave a riveting talk about the many injustices that IJM encounters in their work.

Widows who didn't even have their husband's burials complete before they were forced off their land, their lives threatened if they returned, and their only hope of caring for their families were taken from them.

Families who have a loved one falsely accused and charges brought against them for crimes that other, often more influential people, committed; now condemned to serve out sentences for someone else's actions.

Women and children are being trafficked for sex around the world... (including in our country, people.)

And they have no voice.
And they have no advocate.
And they have no hope of the wrongs being made right.

After we struggled long enough to learn the lessons God had for us, He did send an advocate for us. Our advocate came in the form a crack-shot realtor who read through our contract and said, "It's wrong for them to do this to you. This ends now." We did lose money - but more importantly, we lost the weight from the unjust demands put on our family and we were able to breath again. We could move on and put the horrible experience behind us.

And we read countless accounts of the International Justice Mission doing just that for their clients; stepping into their nightmare situation and gifting them with the life-giving words; "It's wrong for them to do this to you. This ends, now." Then they can know what it feels like to breath again after a near-drowning in wave after wave of injustice.

Isaiah 1:17
"Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows."

The majority of us Americans are all people of influence - just by our existence in this free country. I can pick up the phone and call the editor of a newspaper, the receptionist of a senator, the secretary of a congressman and my voice will be heard.

One morning last month, I picked up the phone and called the Kenyan Embassy when we heard that an IJM attorney went missing (and later was discovered murdered) during a challenged justice case in their country. I called the Kenyan Embassy in the US and urged their country to do all they could to look for this young man and members of his legal team.

I, a homemaker mother of four littles, have that kind of power simply because I'm an American woman. What ways can I use this "power" and "influence" to help release the shackles of someone else who has no voice?

Once Luke and I realized the potential of the things we do have; our wealth, influence and "power", we felt such purpose and urgency to use these resources to help others! We understood that we're held accountable for the resources we have... for what use we put them towards and what we try to accomplish for others.

Jesus condemned the Pharisees because they were so proud of themselves for their actions... "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone." (Matt. 23:23)

Gary used the tongue-in-cheek analogy of body-builders at the gym. They work out religiously, developing massive legs, arms, necks, chests. They take care of their diet and are careful to clear space in their schedule for daily workouts and body sculpting fitness classes.

"But .... What's it all for??" Gary asks. "It's all for... posing!" He quipped that aside from the stuck jam jar kitchen emergency, all of that muscle pretty much goes unused.

How much of what we do as Christians is just for posing? 

The abundance of resources God blesses each one of us with - all His, on-loan to us - what are they for? To pose? To be that happy well-dressed family at church full of smiles and vacations and good times? Or have we been given these things so that out of our abundance, we can bless others?

Perhaps the call to the Church in America should be; "What's it all for?" 
(I know I'm stepping on major toes here, but part of me feels like people are much too busy to read this blog anyway, so I'm not risking that much!)

When Luke and I looked back at the country property situation, we took a hard look at the reasons why we pursued that home in the first place. We began to take a hard look at our priorities in life and scrutinized the things we upheld and how we make choices.

The entire basement of our rental house was filled with packed boxes for the six months we wallowed in the real estate debacle. We spent an entire weekend unpacking - and donating - over 3/4s of the stuff. I'm serious. Sifted through all the stuff and thought, "If we didn't miss this for 6 months, it certainly doesn't need to clog up our lives, now."

Three-fourths of it: gone. Our lives: better. Less toys for the kids to leave lying around. Less clothes to wash. Less shoes to trip over. Fewer dishes cluttering up our cabinets. Things we didn't read, didn't listen to, didn't watch, didn't wear, didn't use, simply evaporated from our home. And the Home Sweet Home Mission was grateful! I think Luke drove no less than 6 suburbans full to the Restore, Salvation Army, Home Sweet Home Mission, and BroMenn Hospital.

These were the things we really had to take a hard look at. For us, it wasn't so much the stuff... we cast the excess off pretty willingly, and routinely do "stuff purges" in our home. (It's incredible how we still have so    much    stuff.....!!!) As we realized just how many resources we have been given, it was refreshing to reevaluate and slim down in order that we might share out of that abundance! The things we were convicted of sharing with others was our time... our money... our children... our dinner table... our lives.

Deuteronomy 15:7-8
"If there is among you a poor man of your brethren within any of the gates in your land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand from your poor brother, but you shall open your hand wide to him and willingly lend him sufficient for his need, whatever he needs."

We have several friends doing really cool things for the Kingdom.

We recently reconnected with some old friends who have spent the past 9 years simplifying their lives. I mean stream lining things in ways that would make a minimalist jealous. They were able to pack up all their belongings on bicycles and move cross-country... with a toddler! Their ministry to inner city lives through their coffeehouse and social work are a living testament to to what giving your life away looks like.

One couple helped start "The Community Well" in their town. It's a place where not only people in the community can come gather for food, clothes, and but they can also get connected with those who are willing to donate their talents, gifts and abilities for free. This looks like working on someone's vehicle, doing needed home projects, babysitting for single moms while they go to work, and giving rides to people...

It's a great concept. One that requires much more effort than just dumping excess off at the Mission and feeling better about yourself and your space... But if we believe that everything we have is God's... and that He gives us our very breath... then are we using it for His glory and for His purposes?

Job 5:11-12, 16
"He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot carry out their plans... so the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth."

It's Freedom Sunday. What's it all for?