Andrew Stern's Interaction with Chapter 1

Andrew Stern’s Interaction with Chapter 1

I’ve really enjoyed many parts of this book so far…But I have to admit I thought the first two pages were guilt inducing and counter to the main arguments of the book. Kara Powell starts with the argument that a financial solution can solve a complex issue…Namely if the world gave up all its’ money for ice cream to the poor significant results would appear. Ironic for what she and Chap Clark are aiming to do, namely encouraging youth leaders not to put band aids on deep wounds.

That said, I REALLY ENJOYED the meat and examples of this chapter! Kara makes a poignant analogy (with fixing a road) that shows the difference between shallow and deep justice.

• Physical Response—Quick and Easy—handing out sandwiches to homeless people we do not know; doing a clothing drive; building/working on a poor person’s home
  
• Relational Response—Warm and Fuzzy—interacting with people in the mess; going regularly to a soup kitchen and taking time to get to know homeless people; working at a second-hand clothing store run by a non-profit and getting to know customers; coming back on a regular basis to a widow you have met whose home you initially worked on
  
• Systemic Response—Deep Systemic Solution—looking at setting up a food co-op that provides jobs and an affordable and healthy food supply; creating a network/partnership of interested parties to renew a city block with businesses; discipling and mentoring local youth who start a business that does affordable, quality home repair for widows
  

While the authors’ stated goal is to get us to focus on systemic issues of injustice (rightly so!), the argument will no doubt be made that we need all three kinds of intervention. This is a good and true argument. God often calls us to apply a “quick and easy” physical or relational response that does not address systemic issues. Indeed, most of our days will be focused on these smaller, “easier” steps. This is the nature of life. As we hand out a cup of cold water, cloth the naked, provide shelter for the wanderer and visit those in prison, most of these acts are SIMPLE deeds of Jesus’ righteousness (more on that in chapter 5!).

Where do we see these simple (but I would argue hard) acts of righteousness in the Bible? Some Old Testament examples of Physical/Relational Responses:

• David aiding a cripple member of an enemy’s household (Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 9)
  
• A widow, Ruth, gleaning food in a landowner's, Boaz's, fields (a for work program idea taken from Old Testament law—Ruth 2)
  

Some New Testament examples of Physical/Relational Responses:

• Jesus’ physical miracles healing lepers, blind, and even the dead! These are immediate responses that produce profound change but do not address the underlying issues of disease or sickness that would prevent numerous others from the same illnesses. Jesus does not go to Rome and argue for new laws or social services for those suffering these diseases.
  
• The Good Samaritan (Luke 10). This is both a physical and relational response but does not deal with the systemic issues of crime on the road (see Powell’s quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. on p. 13). The Samaritan goes further than most of us (I) often do—addressing not only emergency care but also gives the innkeeper money to care for him while he must leave.
  

But the Bible also has plenty of examples of the Deep Justice solutions that Powell and Clark argue for…

• The law of gleaning (Leviticus 19:9-10. This was civil law in the Old Testament and a systemic approach at helping the poor. It necessitated work on two sides…Landowners making sure that stalks/food was left in the field and the poor harvesting it.
  
• The law of tithing to give to the widow, the fatherless and the immigrants/aliens (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). This was a systemic “tax” of sorts to make sure these individuals were cared for on an ongoing basis.
  
• The early church’s debate, teaching and practice of caring for widows (instituting a systemic approach that used local leadership and the structure of the church to care for widows in a multi-ethnic context—Acts 6:1-7; 1 Timothy 5:3-16; James 1:27).
  
• The ultimate systemic solution for our issues is dealt with by Jesus on the cross! This is a systemic solution without equal.