The Silence Is Deafening

The silence is deafening. As the debate over healthcare reform in this country grows hotter, the silence from the organized church, those of us who say we follow the God of the Bible, is blowing me away! Why is it that we are leaving so much of the talking to the politicians, special interests, lobbyists, and the healthcare industry itself. What is really upsetting to me is that many of the voices that are being heard are those that pervert justice, morality, and ethics with their very words. When I hear people talking about being concerned about the "quality of care" or the "denial of services" as a reason for resistance to change I am reminded of the society Jesus found himself in when He walked this earth in the flesh. He described not the people, but the social, and religious system this way, " Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." (Mark 7:6, NIV) Jesus points out here that there is a disconnect between words and action. If we understand the biblical "heart" to be the seat of motivation, then there is not only a disconnect between the words and the action, but there is a disconnect between the words and the very MOTIVES!!

My daughter told me the other day that it is not easy being a Christian as a young person, but it is worth it! I agree. It's not easy to be a Christian young or old! Being Christian requires following in the footsteps of the Master. Speaking truth to the lies even of the powerful. It means challenging the powers and structures that be with the truth of the Gospel that speaks life for everyone to it's fullest. Being Christian requires articulating the reality that millions of people in this country are already being "denied services" because their insurance has reached it's limit, or the insurer has decided not to pay. Millions of people in this country receive poor "quality of service" because they have no insurance because they work at jobs that, for one reason or another, don't offer health coverage or offer it but the premiums and co-payments are so high it is not realistically affordable. No being Christian is not easy because being Christian requires caring. It requires caring not only for me, mine, and those like me. being Christian requires caring for people who I don't know, it requires caring for people who are considered less than or different.

I also agree that it is worth it. Because even though being Christian requires being willing to stand, speak, and act in opposition to the forces of evil, injustice, and oppression; when we do, we can:
Make A Difference . . . For Life!