echoes of redemption

I watched a video last night about William Kamkwamba, a young man who at age 14 figured out how to build a windmill in his famine-ravished African village.

He was nearly illiterate at the time and used the inspiration of a picture in a book, and what he could glean from electrical diagrams to wire, circuit break and construct a fully operational windmill.

Because bringing hope to his part of the world is less about money or training and more about intestinal fortitude.

Jon Stewart juxtaposed William’s interview with a rapper who was depressed the recession had forced him to cut down on “video hoes” (his term for women in rap videos) and upset because he could only afford a Bentley rather than the Rolls he had wanted.

The Daily Show producers also dropped in Brian Williams’ announcement that the US would be bombing the moon this morning.

So people are dying all over the world while we complain about our cars.

And you can build a well for $2000 to help the 1 in 6 people in this world that are drinking disease contaminated filth for water, but the US is spending $76,000,000 to shoot bombs at the moon to see if there was water on its surface millions of years ago.

And that makes me mad as hell.

Because we could made a difference.

We could change someone’s life.

But we have to do everything fundamentally different – collectively and personally. It can’t just be about us and our story. Checking for water on the moon isn’t categorically wrong. But ignoring a toddler who is drinking water filled with cow piss is.

It has to be about embracing this world, carrying the burdens of those who are distant, marginalized and oppressed.

It has to be about something bigger than ourselves.

And that’s the kind of people we want to be.

And when we talk about starting a church in New York City, that’s the kind of church we want to be.

Right now we’re preparing to hand out a book to people and churches interested in partnering with us in ministry. But this thing is not just about us. Which is why we’re looking for sponsors for each individual book. Because our story is about changing the story of people’s lives.

So for every book we hand out we’re donating a decade of clean water to someone who doesn’t have it. (You can find out more about that here.)

Because together we can make a difference.

Because our blessing should lead us to a lifestyle of generosity.

Because the church exists to pour itself out for the benefit of those lost, distant and hurting all over this planet.

The story of Jesus driving people out of the temple in John 2 is so counter the Jesus I grew up learning about. The one who used his hands to form the world now wielding a whip. Cracking it against the skin he created. It’s too much to think about.

The creator inflicting physical pain on the created.

And why? Look at how the passage is laid out. Jesus walks into the temple and finds people selling (1) oxen, (2) sheep and (3) pigeons. He also finds (4) money changers.

He then makes a whip and uses it to drive out the (1) oxen and (2) sheep. Then he turns over the tables of the (4) money changers.

One group he saves for last. One group he addresses verbally. One group he makes an example of.

And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” – John 2:16

Jesus saw men selling pigeons and he was livid.

And why?

The sacrificial system set up in Leviticus revolved around animal sacrifice. In an agrarian culture animals = money. But not everyone has money. Which means not everyone has animals. So God extended grace. A way that someone without money could access him.

But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the Lord as his compensation for the sin that he has committed two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. – Leviticus 5:7

Anyone can catch a pigeon. After all, who sends the pigeons?

God set up a redemptive system and provided everything people needed to live within it. So when Jesus saw people in the temple selling pigeons he exploded in fury. The religious leaders were essentially saying, “A pigeon you catch on your own isn’t enough. You have to buy Temple Pigeons.” The very way that God provided to help the oppressed was now a tool used to further their oppression.

One of the greatest prayers I can lift up is for anger toward the things that make God angry. Because I am designed to follow God’s heart and God’s anger always moves him into action.

—update—

I just finished reading Vince’s post on Jesus as a “tough, confrontational, revolutionary leader,” and I thought… yeah. Check it out here.

Have you ever walk into a situation that has escalated three steps beyond a logical human response? My wife and I were headed out of OKC this past weekend and we had stopped to pick up an eat-in-the-car kind of meal. As I entered the restaurant, I could tell the tension was high.

Just then a middle-aged man came storming over to the to-go counter, his body language said “you have offended me… big time.” His actual language, however, is not really fit to put into any kind of permanent record.

Let’s just say he unloaded a personal attack against the host of the restaurant (who looked to be about 19) and it involved enough cussing that a truck backing up might cover all the words he chose.

I honestly don’t know what happened before I walked in – but worst case scenario this guy didn’t get his trans-fats the way he wanted them.

And he was livid.

I don’t want to judge him for his anger – because I get angry. A lot. But I do want to make one observation:

This guy has so little in life to get angry about that a bean burrito throws him over the edge.

I believe God calls us to get angry. He models it. He needs us to.

The problem comes when we are so ignorant to the injustice around us that all we have to get angry about is ourselves.