be a part of the solution.

I was reading the paper today and a quote from a man nominated as a "Giant of Grand Rapids" - "someone who's commitment to social activism; community betterment and their African-American heritage (Grand Rapids Press, 2007)" resonated with me. It read, "If you see an issue, and you're not part of the solution, you're a part of the problem." This can apply to so many aspects of life, but lately I've been convicted of this in regards to social justice and the church community. The church that Tim and I attend, Engedi Church, has been proactive about these two issues and has been teaching us what it means to go out into all of the world...not just the "safe" zones where everyone looks likes us and acts like us, but the dark, uncomfortable places of our communities where Christ is yearning to give hope. Tim and I have been more aware of and more involved in serving the poor and needy of our community and it has been such a blessing. In the midst of this, I continue to search what it means for me as a Christ follower to continue being a part of the solution of giving hope to all people rather than being a part of the problems that take it away.
During the last few years in my career as a social worker, I've been involving myself in the daily struggles of those whose values and lifestyles and modes of thinking (survive vs. thrive) vary so much from my own. I have been opened to the vast needs of my community (yes, even Holland, MI) to know true hope. I wrestle with seeing the cyclical dysfunction that children are raised in and while most people just blames the parents, my heart breaks knowing that the parents often times were never taught any other way. I see so many children who don't have the security and stability of having both a loving mother AND father, people who are chained to addictions, children and adults who try to cope with a history of traumatic abuse, parents who can't be involved in their child's classroom because they have no transportation and they don't live on the city bus line, and homeless families asked to pay security deposits on a rental apartment that is impossible for them to afford. So, despite my daily involvement at work, my investment (although being really challenged right now!) in a young teen mom I have been mentoring for a few years and all that I am learning through sermons, service and my own observations, I am still left with the challenge of looking at how my day to day efforts and interactions with others can be that of giving hope and justice (a solution) rather than detracting it from others through judgemental or selfish living (a problem).
Please pray for me in this area as I am much more comfortable being comfortable. I have a long ways to go...I haven't even met all of my new neighbors yet! Despite this, I am so encouraged by the church and all the ways that God is using people to bring His hope to both the comfortable and the uncomfortable places of our communities. Even more, I am encouraged by how the little efforts towards these solutions add up to big efforts that add up to making the world looking a little more like the way God intended it to look. Keep pressing on!