“He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.’” vs. 32
Luke 13:31-33
Luke reports that King Herod had become aware of Jesus’ ministry and saw his work as a threat to his rule. Some Pharisees even reported to Jesus that Herod wanted to kill him. Jesus wasn’t intimidated. He kept on doing what he had been doing. That’s a great model for people of faith in our time too. There are some who have noticed that our government has enacted policies that infringe on the programs of social ministry organizations. Because many such agencies have received grants to operate their healing and care-giving ministries, they are vulnerable to the elimination of such funding. They now are facing big decisions about whether to reach out to the impoverished and the hurting. Some are wondering if they should back off on their support for vulnerable communities, and discontinue their emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
It’s possible for those who control funding sources to exert enormous pressure, and more and more people are choosing to go silent to avoid the loss of revenue. Jesus’ guidance is obvious. If the outreach of our congregations and agencies is a part of our calling, we have no option but to continue our work, even if it means ultimately going to the cross!
Thought for the Day: When is “going silent” the best option for believers?
0 Comments