The City

I'm in Seattle for my sister's graduation, but much of me is still on east coast time. I'm having a hard time sleeping in past 6 AM. I'm staying at Jake's house for the week, and with time to spare yesterday morning, I wandered down to Market street in Ballard. Having lived in rural New Hampshire for these past two years, I can't tell you how refreshing it is to again be in an urban area where walking to the grocery store or your local coffee shop is possible. However, as I walked I came across a women who was just waking up from a night spent on the sidewalk. Bam! The reality of human need comes immediately into focus.

Seattle, like nearly every metropolitan area, is home to all kinds of problems: homelessness, poverty, violence, and under-resourced schools, to name only a few. These are real and painful issues. Seeing that woman on the street made me think Now this is where I need to be to do real ministry. Look at the needs of the city. This is where it's at. Although it's true the city has a way of making certain issues in-your-face, it's a mistake to overlook the human needs that exist in rural and suburban communities.

Homelessness, poverty, violence, and under-resourced schools exist in all areas. However, the greatest issue poisoning the non-urban areas of our country is the endeavor to create safe, comfortable, insulated communities and neighborhoods that have little consideration for the plight of others. To paraphrase something I heard not too long ago: indifference toward injustice is worse than the injustice itself.

And so here is where I'm personally at with all of this: If you want to make a difference in the cities and in the concentrated places of human need, work to bring people out of their self-indulgence and apathy who live outside of these areas. Bring you and yourself out of your selfish desire for safety and comfort. The Gospel of Jesus wants you to get outside of yourself and live for the healing of others. Help people to see that we are marked by Christ when we reach out to the stranger. Create a one-world way of thinking--a kingdom of God way of thinking and living that transcends regional boundaries, race, gender, religion and socioeconomic categories.

Give a city a fish, feed the city for a day. Teach the world to give the city a fish, feed the city for a year... This makes sense in my head.