Does Information Equal Obligation?

Over the past few years, it seems as though social justice has become the new tidal wave in church culture, with everyone in the younger generation jumping in for the ride. I am one of those people who has jumped in with both feet. When I first read books like the Irresistible Revolution, my heart soared with the possibilities of how I could declare that “Another World is Possible, Another World is Here!”. It gave me new eyes with which to see my faith, and changed my outlook on many issues for the better.  I had also become very frustrated with the current church culture (isolated, stagnant, self absorbed), and this new movement sparked something inside of me that was quite powerful.

But I quickly began to become frantic- how would I change the world? What was my piece of the social justice puzzle? Would I start a homeless shelter? Sell my home and go live on the streets? Write a scathing expose of some evil company in my city who was exploiting workers? Become an activist and sit on the courthouse steps singing “By the Waters of Babylon?”  I knew I had to do SOMETHING, and not just something small.  I had to make a difference.

I also began to notice that I was developing a judgmental attitude toward other Christians who “just didn’t get it”. People who weren’t excited about this new revolution in the church bothered me.  How could everyone not be turning their lives upside down to change things?

After a year or so of reading books, listening to talks, watching videos, attending conferences, and trying to “be the change”, I have found that I am simply becoming frustrated, for a few reasons:

1) I easily fall prey to feelings of guilt that I am not doing enough.

Whenever I read articles about “rejecting apathy”, and “being the change” , I immediately begin to feel like I am not a true follower of Christ if I am not making drastic changes in my life, and forsaking myself at every turn for the poor and downtrodden.  I read passages in Scripture where Jesus asks someone to sell all they have and give it to the poor, and I wonder if my lifestyle is one of a true Christ follower. I know no one likes to admit that Jesus actually said that, or we say he was just calling out that particular person because it was an issue of their motives, but isn’t that just explaining it away? He says it more than once in several different contexts.

I have a mortgage and two cars. I want to buy organic all the time. I want to build a deck on my home, and I’d like to have kids and take them to extracurricular activities.  I like all natural “green” products, which cost more.

I want to get a graduate degree, which will cause me to go into insane amounts of debt. I work a full-time job, and don’t have much time when the day is done to spend volunteering and being with those in need. I am lucky to get in enough quality time with my husband and my dog. This is my middle class American life. Does this make me a bad Christian? Should we just jump off the train altogether?

2) I am bombarded with information about poverty.

In the previous century, “helping the poor” meant giving the homeless man who tapped on your window a sandwich and a drink. Now, it means that as a Christian, I am responsible for the lives of millions of Africans languishing with AIDS, the starving children across the world, and those trapped in sexual slavery. I am not making light of these awful situations- there is so much sin and devastation. But just because we now live in a “global community”,  and I am a “privileged American”, does that automatically implicate me to help people across the world?

I have a Compassion child that I support in Ethiopia, and we send letters.  It is wonderful. I also do the best that I can to use my middle class purchasing power to direct my money toward companies who support sustainable and ethical practices, whether it is the food that I buy or my cleaning supplies.  I am a ONE member, and send letters to my representatives when I am asked.  But is all that enough? Does information equal obligation?

Would it be enough if I simply invited someone in my congregation who is struggling financially over for dinner? Would it be enough if I supported local organizations who work with women transitioning out of prison? Is it enough to just work with “the poor among us”?

Is it wrong to have hopes and dreams for my life that some people will never begin to consider because of the overwhelming poverty they have been born into? Is it part of my Christian responsibility to feel guilty for what I did not choose- the country where I was born, the family I was born into, and my ability to produce income and enjoy certain luxuries? These were not my choice-  these are blessings from God that I am very thankful for.

These are hard questions that I am grappling with as I continue to seek the Lord’s wisdom and guidance in my life.  I welcome your comments.