Is It All Just So Much Talk?

P.O Box 1540, Albany Western Australia 6331
Phone/Fax: (08) 98 418 418
E-mail: abl-alb@omninet.net.au

Is It All Just So Much Talk?
"Religion is as religion does - all the rest is talk," writes Irving Greenberg. A Jewish theologian, Greenberg had the holocaust in view with his statement. It was not enough to say a prayer for Jews in the time of Hitler. It didn't help to feel sad or to wish that someone would come to the aid of people being murdered. It was a time that called for very specific and practical behaviours. A European Jew in 1943 needed something as specific as a Gentile home or shop where he or she could hide. They needed someone who would provide them with money, food, or help across the border. "But that would involve risk to the person providing it!" someone cries. Of course, it would. But that is the point. Faith, godly living, justice, compassion - until they are deeds instead of mere pious conversation, they don't have meaning. I know it's easy to say that now. We are more than half a century away from Hitler's gas chambers and crematoria. It is even possible to watch a movie or TV documentary and tell ourselves we would have done something back then. We can hope so. But there are good reasons to wonder. Friend, let me ask you a question. Where does a stranger fit into your life? All of us do kind things for our family and close friends. I insist on buying lunch this time. You go to the hospital to cheer her up. You take care of his garden for six weeks while his ankle heals. You look after their children when they need to go shopping or just see a movie. But you'll get all of those kindnesses back. You may even be repaying things they've already done. It is wonderful to have such positive, supportive relationships in your life. However, the challenge for many of us is to name something we do for strangers. People who will never pay us back. People of a different colour or religion. People whose politics we don't like. An enemy. It comes to my mind, that if those of us who say we are disciples of Jesus do not grow in our ability to care about others in very concrete, self-sacrificing ways, we are only fooling ourselves. Poverty, sickness, hunger, fear -- no individual or family, local church or civic group can tackle all these problems. But there is always one situation, one family, or one person you can help. And "help" isn't warm feelings or kind thoughts. It is time. Giving of your money. Having somebody into your home or going to theirs. Making a lonely person feel cared for. Mentoring a child. The way I see it, religious rituals are no substitute for compassionate actions. Today, Jesus is searching for a few real disciples - people whose religion is Christ-imitating love and not mere church prattle. You see, we are created for acceptance and a sense of belonging. And as we take the initiative to reach out our hand to others we discover the truth that life is relationships and that in the end the love we take is equal to the love we make. Friend, to help you better understand the truth of what I've just shared, I'd be pleased to send you a small pamphlet titled: "You Can't Be Human Alone". To receive your FREE copy, just write to me at: P.O. Box 1540, Albany WA 6331. You can also make your request by Phone/Fax: (08) 9841 8418. Or by E-mail at: abl-alb@omninet.net.au

"Religion is as religion does - all the rest is talk," writes Irving Greenberg. A Jewish theologian, Greenberg had the holocaust in view with his statement. It was not enough to say a prayer for Jews in the time of Hitler. It didn't help to feel sad or to wish that someone would come to the aid of people being murdered. It was a time that called for very specific and practical behaviours.

A European Jew in 1943 needed something as specific as a Gentile home or shop where he or she could hide. They needed someone who would provide them with money, food, or help across the border. "But that would involve risk to the person providing it!" someone cries. Of course, it would. But that is the point. Faith, godly living, justice, compassion - until they are deeds instead of mere pious conversation, they don't have meaning.

I know it's easy to say that now. We are more than half a century away from Hitler's gas chambers and crematoria. It is even possible to watch a movie or TV documentary and tell ourselves we would have done something back then. We can hope so. But there are good reasons to wonder.

Friend, let me ask you a question. Where does a stranger fit into your life? All of us do kind things for our family and close friends. I insist on buying lunch this time. You go to the hospital to cheer her up. You take care of his garden for six weeks while his ankle heals. You look after their children when they need to go shopping or just see a movie. But you'll get all of those kindnesses back. You may even be repaying things they've already done. It is wonderful to have such positive, supportive relationships in your life.

However, the challenge for many of us is to name something we do for strangers. People who will never pay us back. People of a different colour or religion. People whose politics we don't like. An enemy.

It comes to my mind, that if those of us who say we are disciples of Jesus do not grow in our ability to care about others in very concrete, self-sacrificing ways, we are only fooling ourselves. Poverty, sickness, hunger, fear -- no individual or family, local church or civic group can tackle all these problems. But there is always one situation, one family, or one person you can help. And "help" isn't warm feelings or kind thoughts. It is time. Giving of your money. Having somebody into your home or going to theirs. Making a lonely person feel cared for. Mentoring a child.

The way I see it, religious rituals are no substitute for compassionate actions. Today, Jesus is searching for a few real disciples - people whose religion is Christ-imitating love and not mere church prattle. You see, we are created for acceptance and a sense of belonging. And as we take the initiative to reach out our hand to others we discover the truth that life is relationships and that in the end the love we take is equal to the love we make.

Friend, to help you better understand the truth of what I've just shared, I'd be pleased to send you a small pamphlet titled: "You Can't Be Human Alone". To receive your FREE copy, just write to me at: P.O. Box 1540, Albany WA 6331. You can also make your request by Phone/Fax: (08) 9841 8418. Or by E-mail at: abl-alb@omninet.net.au