
I've been thinking about these people - the folks on the subway and the people who work there. I've been thinking about who they are, what their stories might be, how courageous so many of them are as they face their daily routine. I've been thinking in shame about the assumptions I make about all sorts of people. I think about all the 'Christians' I know who wouldn't lower themselves to work those jobs or ride those rails with such dependency. I think, in awe and horror, about the crucified Jesus, who refused not to see the beauty of people such as these, and indeed humbled himself to wash their feet, who placed himself lower than these and descended even into hell for them. When I think about these people and I think about Jesus, and I think about how comfortable I am in this beautiful gift-wrapped apartment in New Jersey, I am reminded of the phrase, "fear of the Lord." It's not that I should necessarily flee from comfort or look upon my blessings with disdain, but surely I should fear my own attitude when it degrades those with whom the risen Jesus dwells.
I know people - indeed I am one of them - who walk with the assumption that subway workers and grounds-crews and janitors and gas station attendants must have something wrong with them to be working such lowly jobs. I know people - indeed I am one of them - who are afraid to travel down to Trenton and walk among those who spend their lives in the city. And then again, I know a God - indeed from whom I need forgiveness - who rides the subway, cleans the toilets, mows my lawn, and sleeps in Trenton.
Now what does it mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to proclaim the reign of this God over all the earth, both heaven and earth? At the very least we should see and be disturbed by the irony of someone who believes in Jesus but won't walk in his neighborhood, who believes in the scripture but degrades the people it calls 'blessed'. At the very least, we should see an attitude toward the poor as an essential of Christian identity - an attitude defined by the life and words of Jesus which boldly proclaimed the reign of God in the world:
Blessed are the poor in spirit
Blessed are those who ride in subway cars on the way home from their third shift
Blessed are those who scrub the floors of public restrooms
Blessed are those who sleep on cold streets
Blessed are those who work the jobs we rich Christians arrogantly refuse to work
Blessed are those who need but rarely receive
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven... and they will be our judges.
Have mercy on us, we who are too comfortable to love, we who fear and mock the ones we should adore.
May the Christians be the ones who don't find it easy to believe, who refuse the "authority" of a scripture which tells us to reject others, and who relentlessly affirm the dignity of real people.
2 comments:
I can't come up with anything to say to this other than Amen! and Thank you! Loved this post!
This is cool!
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