Westboro
Today the Westboro Baptist Church will be in little ol’ Vancouver Washington protesting at one of the local high schools because of the rampant homosexuality taking over our schools in Vancouver and Portland. We hope to be able to go to a counter protest today at the local YWCA.
- Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
- where there is hatred, let me sow love;
- where there is injury, pardon:
- where there is doubt, faith ;
- where there is despair, hope
- where there is darkness, light
- where there is sadness, joy
- O divine Master,
- grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
- to be understood, as to understand;
- to be loved, as to love;
- for it is in giving that we receive,
- it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
- and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
- Or, in the words of Jesus…
- Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. - 69XNQJZK9R7R
A Warning to All Peacemakers Out There
I found these words to be very powerful. They were spoken in 1984 by Ron Sider, a man who has done much to transform the world. He is speaking at the Mennonite World Conference when he says,
Unless we are prepared to risk injury and death in nonviolent opposition to the injustice our societies foster, we don’t dare even whisper another word about pacifism to our sisters and brothers in those desperate lands. Unless we are ready to die developing new nonviolent attempts to reduce international conflict, we should confess that we never really meant the cross was an alternative to the sword. Unless the majority of our people in nuclear nations are ready as congregations to risk social disapproval and governmental harassment in a clear call to live without nuclear weapons, we should sadly acknowledge that we have betrayed our peacemaking heritage. Making peace is as costly as waging war. Unless we are prepared to pay the cost of peacemaking, we have no right to claim the label or preach the message.
Haiti and the church
I don’t have much to say about this but I feel very burdened by what has happened in Haiti recently. Not only am I in prayer and burdened for the Haitians and the destruction there, but I am burdened for the church. I know that seems out of place, but I hope and pray that the church (and I define “church” as groups of people who are following Christ) responds not only in prayer but as the hands and feet of Jesus in our world. I hope that Christians live up to their identity as people who live out of an alternate reality that gives them a glimpse into things unseen and therefore compels them to partner with anyone and everyone in bringing hope and restoration to the broken world.
