A Word about War part II

Bishop Desmond Tutu once wrote that "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality." Last night I had to go to the auto shop to pick up my car. On the ride back to the house I listened to Shane Claiborne tell a story about a little boy who worked in a sweat shop. He said that the boy spoke at a conference and pointed to a scar on his face and said that his master hit him and fearing that he would bleed on the material that the boy was working on, the master held a lighter to his face to stop the blood. The boy pointed to a shirt and said so that you can have that.

Rather the sweat shop worker or the Iraqi people, the sanctity of life run deep and to all people rather it is a white American fetus or an Afghani terrorist. If we are called as people to care for life and to see God's image in others, than we are to protect not only ourselves but everyone. So often we forget the words of Christ who said, "Whatever you do to the least of these you do also to me". We victimize ourselves when other countries or religions come against us, thinking that we are being persecuted for our freedom. It is arrogance to think that we have not violated and hurt others.

It is the words of Christ that brings me back to "turn the other cheek". The Gospel is not just for the oppressed but also for the oppressors. In order to transform injustice, we must consider that all people need the love of God to be shown to them. We love them, who are our oppressors and we love those who we find ourselves oppressing. We seek to change our ways by bringing awareness of the problems and put a face to the system. The Gospel is the great equalizer that demonstrates the need for the proud and rich to see their righteousness is as "filthy rags" but it is also the Gospel the brings light to the hopeless and poor that they are loved and precious to God.