Do Something!

 

 

"Commission and Omission have become evil twins..."

In his new song "Do something", Matthew West tells the story of a young man who is so frustrated with the inhumanity and injustices in the world, he raises his fist and shakes it at God. "Why don't you do something?", the young man yells. God replies, "I did - I made you."

The message here is really quite simple. We were all wonderfully and fearfully made in the image of the Almighty. We have been given the chance to be saved from a sinful life and a broken world through the gift of God's only son. However, once Jesus ascended into Heaven, we are it. We are Plan "A", Plan "B", and Plan "C". There are no other plans. The church of Christ, which is the bride of Christ, is it. If something needs to be done, it is up to us.

Today in the paper, columnist David Brooks talks of an Iraq possibly going down a death spiral similar to what happened to Rwanda in 1994. Many of us only know of a fraction of the horrors that happened to Rwanda during its civil war. Hundreds of thousands were killed or maimed. It truly was hell on Earth.

In The Cost of Discipleship, German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil - God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."

I believe what Dr. Bonhoeffer was telling us is quite simple. Whereas many believe there is a wide gap between commission and omission, God believes there is not. Amelioration of suffering through war, through famine, through genocide, or any other kind of human suffering, is a mandate to us all. It is not an option to sit on the sidelines and do nothing. Again, per Matthew West, we need to "Do something!"

You might think, "What can I possibly do?" The answer is quite simple, actually. We can all something, if it is very large, or extremely small. There are countless opportunities to help those in need in our community, in our country, in the world. Gifts of time, talent, or treasures are always needed and welcomed. If you ask God for guidance on this most important question, His still voice will speak to your heart. You will know what to do.

We do live in a broken world. Evil is real, and haunts us every day. Until Christ returns, it is up to us to be not only His hands and feet, but also His voice. If your church has turned into a social club, speak out, get them in the game. The church, and everyone in it, needs to be actively involved. It is time to get going. The time is long overdue for each of us to get off the sidelines and "Do something!"