NEWSLETTER
Our Fear Blown Away by Alexa Smith, Associate for Joining Hands Sitting amongst 1700-plus Presbyterians at the Big Tent a few weeks ago in Indianapolis, there was no shortage of passion for sharing the Gospel, speaking to power or disciplining ourselves for the task of alleviating poverty, particularly when indulgence in our own lives worsens the lives of others here and abroad.
Responding to global issues As World Mission unrolled its invitation for a church-wide response to three critical global issues, World Mission Director, the Rev. Hunter Farrell – a Joining Hands alum – urged folks in the room to think through a Bible story tied to the issue at hand. Be it:
Imprisoned by fear At my table, the issue at hand was reconciliation amidst cultures of violence. And for me, it called up the story of Thomas and the disciples, traumatized by the pitiful death of Jesus and the surety that, if found by the Roman soldiers, the same fate might well await Jesus’ followers. So, the reasons to stay inside, hidden away, were absolutely excellent, justifiable even. And the group did just that, locked themselves away breathing in each others’ fear and anxiety. Alive, but dead. Breathing, but entombed in a prison built out of their own fear.
But along comes Jesus, who breathes new life into the room. And promises the whole lot of them peace. Not peace to stay inside afraid. But peace enough to go outside, despite very real risks. Despite soldiers and threats of intimidation, despite the violence of the world outside the door. After all, empires define peace and keep peace by silencing whatever, or whomever, those in power find offensive. But Jesus’ peace doesn’t take away the risk. It just gave them peace to take it. He even says to them, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” . And he got no passes.
Matters of life and death If we’re really going to tackle poverty and to work for reconciliation amidst violence as we share the good news of God’s love, the risks are very real. Atle Sommerfeldt tells us in his book, Spiritual Reflections on Trade, that the economic arrangements of this world are matters of life and death. They also can become ideologically dividing in simple terms and are easily caricatured, if addressed badly. What’s more, the complexity of the issues take time, which many of us complain we don’t have. Those are just two reasons why such ventures scare us. But the issues that our Joining Hands partners say have intense economic consequences that impoverish people abroad – and most are very real here – are lopsided trade agreements, land grabs, water privatization and pollution, control of your own food supply or seeds, and access to land to grow food, just to name a few.
But he says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” We can sit quietly inside with a deadening false peace, or, we can take the risk before us and the peace he offers. We wrestle theologically, not ideologically. We make the time to immerse ourselves in the complexities of how the world works, where simple answers never suffice. And see what new life we find, as the divine breath blows our fear away.
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