hey fam.
i have been pondering and praying over this post for quite some time. it wasnt until i read the 'have we become so immune' post that i was prompted to write this.
i have a story, now, it is a very interesting one to say the least. you can discern it on your on, share your thoughts because im still curious about it.
i was walking (evangelizing) around down town, regina, in the park. after talking to a few people i decided to sit on one of the benches. i was praying, when a couple of guys sat down beside me. he started a conversation with me like he knew me.
he asked me what i was doing that day.
i told him, listening to peoples stories.
he asked why.
i said, because, id imagine Jesus listening to peoples stories.
then his eyes opened wider and a big smile overtook face. then he started to tell me about his passion for christian unity in churches. and how he wants to be a change for that. he continued on about how sad it is to see so many churches divide over doctrines. etc. (you know how it goes)
this is where the story gets interesting. while he was talking, i was sitting on a bench with my back against the back of the bench and every time he said something i could feel the vibrations of his voice against my back.
anyways, he went on about how he would go to all types of churches to see their worship and kind of judge it. not say if its right or wrong, but if its good or bad. (funny the dichotomy) he said there are some churches where the spirit is and how fresh it is at certain churches and at others the spirit is dry and almost not present.
i brought up how there was a concert/outreach/show/ i dont know what to call it, but it was a day of worship where 5 different congregations in the park(where we were sitting) would have time slots in the day to play their style of worship. it was for unity purposes.
he really liked that idea and i agreed. he continued on about church and worship for a few minutes.
during this time, i noticed a first nations man looking down on his luck. he staggered to one of the benches a stones throw away from us. he put his feet up and laid down and fell asleep.
then i looked at him and said, brother, i appreciate your heart. but i have a question for you? have you ever imagined at the end of time, when the Christ walks the earth again. (this is a scenario i made up in my own head) but do you ever think about the fruit were encouraged to make? that at judgement day, before all is said and done and were all entering eternity. do you ever imagine Jesus biting into the fruit you produced and then him spitting it out because of how bad it is? Or even if he would enjoy it? can you imagine him savoring those bites of the good fruit you produced? or the disgust He has?
he said he never thought of that, and thought that was a cool scenario. then he asked why i asked that.
i said, look at that man thats sleeping on the street with no home to go to. i said, thats the fruit the church of north america has produced, and its sitting there rotting.
at this moment, he like coughed or kind of convulsed, he didnt collapse, but kind of leaned forward a bit, then he was sitting like this for a couple seconds and then he got up, and asked what i meant? but when he asked me this, and from this point on, his voice was a higher pitch and his voice wasnt vibrating the back of the bench anymore.
i said, someone asked Jesus, whats the greatest commandment. Jesus said, to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind. this is the first and greatest, the next is to love your neighbor as yourself. on these 2 hang all the laws and the prophets.
then i said, look, first nations people were your first neighbors. all of you, every single person that has come to this part of the world since 1492, we as native people were your first neighbors. and since the church was the most responsible for your migration, your church had the obligation to be Jesus to us. instead, your church did all kinds of abuses towards us, physical, sexual, mental. (if you disagree look up residential schools) there is no churches here that specifically deal with these people.
i said, i been to several different churches here and they all treated me horrible. a few places didnt acknowledge me, one church asked me to leave because i was a little late, and as i was walking out the ushers followed us out and im assumming it was so i wouldnt dig around in anyones pockets. yeah theres evangelists here, but the residential schools that churches made beat Jesus into all these natives already, so its no use to preach the gospel, a bunch of them i talked to already know Jesus and tell me they know him, but yet these evangelists are more concerned about numbers then the human in them, the adam. i have heard a preachers like Lenoard Ravenhill and Jim Cymbala (im pretty sure, a few sermons anyways and its almost always cut off before the speakers can finish) make mention to pray for these people specifically.
i said, so many people spend money on missions for people across the ocean forgetting about the people here. the first nations people here dont need a new defintion of Jesus, but a new demonstration of Jesus (Ravenhill quote) we are the ministers of reconciliation but people would rather spend money on things other than the first nations people. one thing i always say, if your not working with people for christ here (spreading the gospel, aka evanglizing) what makes you think you will do it in some other country? if your not doing it now? what makes you think you will do it then? (which can be said for almost anything, if your not repenting now, what makes you think you'll repent later. or if your not fasting now, what makes you think you'll fast later? etc.)
i said, the government is doing them even more damage by giving them welfare. because they give em welfare the rest of the world think we get all these privileges from the government. when its all a lie, theres so much misinformation about canadian and first nations relations. but thats not the case, the case is that the church has failed in loving its neighbor. and that fruit over there thats rotting, thats the fruit your churches will have to give to Jesus.
at this, he looked shocked and got up and left.
what does this have to do with the immune post?
before
http://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/why-the-gerald-stanley-trial-matters
after
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/judge-verdict-instructions-stanley-trial-jury-1.4537105
there is so much injustice towards first nations people, its constant thing, native people are a persecuted people. and its not even injustice, theres over 1200 murdered and missing first nations woman. anyways, it might not be as dramatic as a persecuted christian in turkey, but the persecution for a first nations person comes in forms of racism, stereotyping, prejudices, etc. even their spirituality is persecuted. (even within this there is so much conflict, but it needs to be talked about)
because of these things, suicide is so high for native youth, were not killed because of a faith, but because of hatred of oneself that was fueled by racism etc. this is an interesting point because where these stats are for youth suicide, there in mostly christian environments. anyways, there is so much statistics to show that growing up first nations in canada is a bad idea. canada is trying really hard to reconcile with the first nations people but its really hard when the a majority of christians are racists themselves. and thats quite frankly what the whole issue is about. because sometimes when some people are blunty told about(it can be racist undertones, or even riding the high horse) their weaknesses or areas their short sighted in, they still wont listen but yet try be more spiritual because of a calling or mantel they think they were given to carry because of the 'passions'. or the simple fact that they can deny it and not need to change shows that their the most blind ones. the good ol, let me grab that speck out of your eye, dont be bothered by my log though, its been there you just gotta be careful while i grab that speck, trick.
anyways, have we become so immune to loving our neighbors? like in a literal context? your wife? your husband? kids? the people you live beside? then the peoples land you live on? have you become so immune to loving them? or have we become immune to the fact they exist so we go on life without being aware of them? or have you become grateful for the land your on because my ancestors helped your people survive the winters? (got to be careful of revisionist history that tells you it was the colonies that saved the indians, because the colonies never experienced anything this side of the world and people already here new how to live and survive) heck, they even saved good ol chris columbus when he was lost at sea.
anyways, im not saying what i said in my story was a judgment and thats what is going to happen. that the church will be judged soley on those 2 commandments that Jesus said blatently. (but what if?) anyways, ill leave that to the Christ.
and who knows the blessings of being obedient to those 2 commands?
but in the end, like one of the other brothers said, theres nothing new under the sun.
