Feeding the Poor at a Sacrifice
1. In the first centuries
of Christianity
the hungry were fed
at a personal sacrifice,
the naked were clothed
at a personal sacrifice,
the homeless were sheltered
at a personal sacrifice.
2. And because the poor
were fed, clothed and sheltered
at a personal sacrifice,
the pagans used to say
about the Christians
"See how they love each other."
3. In our own day
the poor are no longer
fed, clothed, sheltered
at a personal sacrifice,
but at the expense of the taxpayers.
4. And because the poor
are no longer
fed, clothed and sheltered
the pagans say about the Christians
"See how they pass the buck."
What does the church's interactions with people with disabilities in the church, in Christian schools, in other forms of the church tell the world about what Christians think about people with disabilities?
In another Easy Essay, Maurin says,
Christianity Untried
1. Chesterton says:
"The Christian ideal
has not been tried
and found wanting.
2. It has been found difficult
and left untried."
3. Christianity has not been tried
because people thought
it was impractical.
4. And men have tried everything
except Christianity.
5. And everything
that men have tried
has failed.
The church as the whole, complete body has never been tried because the presence of everyone would imply change and change is difficult. Integrating people with disabilities has not been tried because it is thought impractical. The integration that people seek, particularly in the secular world of professionals for persons with disabilities is available in the Christian church. We, however, seem to think it easier to not try it, and leave the state to do it. But that is not entirely true. Do you know that research indicates that religious parents are more likely to see the care of their children with disabilities as their own responsibility while those who are not religious see it as the state's responsibility? So some of the church are trying. The research just seems to indicate that they are not being supported by the rest of us, by the body.
One more from Maurin.
Houses of Hospitality
1. We need Houses of Hospitality
to give to the rich
the opportunity
to serve the poor.
2 We need Houses of Hospitality
to bring the scholars
to the workers
or the workers
to the scholars.
3. We need Houses of Hospitality
to bring back to institutions
the technique to institutions.
4. We need Houses of Hospitality
to show
what idealism looks like
when it is practised.
The same could be said about individuals with disabilities as with the poor. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine the "pagans" as Maurin puts it saying, "Go to such and such church and you will see what idealism looks like!" I would love my church to be accused of idealism in its interactions with persons with disabilities. Idealism in practical service. Idealism, through faith, in actually embracing Christianity in relation to people with disabilities to see what Christianity might actually be like. I get excited just thinking about that. Can you imagine what the church would look like if Christians actually fully embraced Christianity? It could be that people with intellectual disabilities in their childlike faith might be the ones to actually lead us there.
McNair
It is true that most Christians have failed to reach out to the disabled. It is also true that if Christians would reach out a helping hand, the world would look on them with wonder and see God's glory. These essay, or poems, are spot on. If Christians would shoulder the burden of the disabled, they would be sharing Christ with the world. However, it is important to remember that Christians are not Christ. We are called to reach out to the widow, orphan, hungry and naked. In some areas Christians have made progress and others, we have failed. We should be striving to live by Christ's example and should be trying to do to others as he would have done. However, because of our fallen sinful nature it is also important to remember that Christians will fail to do this a lot of the time. Instead of condemning them for their short comings, we should be encouraging to pick the cross back up and follow. Christians have definitely neglected the disabled. It is something that those of us who realize this mistake should be trying to correct and should encourage others to change. However, Until people in the church realize the humanity of the disabled, change is going to make little progress. Most of the christians who are willing to make change are educated about the different disabilities and are more mature and less afraid of the disabled. Until more people are made aware that there is even a need, and until they learn that they have nothing to fear from the disabled, real progress is going to be hindered. Christians need to be made aware of the great need. So many of them do not even realize that it exists. When this happens, we will be able to show the world the love and glory of God in a way that we should have been doing for years.
ReplyDeleteJAMES 2:12-20 YOU WILL B JUDGED ON WHETHER OR NOT U R DOING WHAT CHRIST WANTS U TO DO,FOR THER WILL B NO MERCY TO THOSE WHO HAVE SHOWN NO MERCY.BUT IF U HAVE SHOWN MERCY,THEN GOD'S MERCY TOWARD U WILL WIN OUT OVER HIS JUDGMENT AGAINST U.DEAR BROTHERS & SISTERS,WHATS THE USE OF SAYING THAT U HAVE FAITH & R CHRISTIANS,IF UR NOT PROVING IT BY HELPING OTHERS. JAMES 4:17 REMEMBER TOO,THAT KNOWING WHAT IS RIGHT TO DO & THEN NOT DOING IT,IS SIN.:)
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