The Activity of the Activist

I do not have anything against activists. In fact, I consider myself one. I used to think that I was not a political person, but on hearing Jonathan Kozol's definition I realized that it must define me. He said, "Politics is what you do in the morning about what you thought about at night." In my increasing understanding that action is necessary to following Jesus and embodying the already-here-not-yet Kingdom of God, I have also found that changing the world cannot rest completely on my shoulders. This is God's work and God is gracious enough to let me play a part as a means of worship in God's redemptive plans for the world. I cannot do eveything and I must give honor to my status as creature: I must eat, I must rest my weary bones, I must take time to sabbath, etc. This is not simply a worldly battle and it is not simply a spiritual battle.

Granted I was not always able to be present for worship while volunteering for a conference of Christian activists, but I was overwhelmed by the sense of busyness, meetings, networking, "make it quick," gotta-have-it-now mentality of a number of the conference attendees. There is almost a spirit at times of "if God doesn't connect me with this organization or get me a network meeting with this associate, then God has no plans for me." Or it goes even further to if I don't put myself in those positions, then God can't find ways to speak to me and/or help me make connections. Or perhaps it is with resources. If I don't take that book now or ask for special permission to have it held for me while I get money, then someone else will get it.

It is amazing to me how folks who use the language of "we are one community" or "one church" as a means to becoming involved in social justice and reconciliation, yet on a personal, mundane level folks had trouble living into the virtues of dying to oneself, patience, listening, trusting in God's providence, sabbath, truthfulness, empathy, etc. I saw a lack of teamwork and a rise in exclusiveness and individualism. It seems that we as the Church have a lot of work to do in embodying the Gospel in everyday encounters and with the world and with God at large.