This event happened last Saturday and here are some of my reflections from the day.
1. It is really good doing a localised event. It meant we heard from the chaplain at HMP Belmarsh for example as well as allowing me the opportunity to address our current situation at King's.
2. Needs to either be much longer or aim to do far less in the day. People wanted to go to more than one seminar which wasn't possible.
3. In the follow up, it is hard to manage the expertise and dreams of people but it is so important that we develop justice in different ways. Please bear with me if you want to discuss future options.
4. Dave did a fabulous job organising the event.
For those who did not make it here is a synopsis of my talk.
It was based on the story Jesus told of the man beaten up the Jericho Road.
The road was real and very dangerous, a bit like some of the streets in our city. As believers we are called to live on the Jericho Road. This means living with the reality of the beaten up lives that are around us. Then after a brief explanation of the biblical description of God's heart for the broken I then responded to this call to live on the Jericho Road in 4 ways.
Individually - we must be ready to stop and help those in need, perhaps by walking the Jericho Road's of Catford rather than driving through with our stereos turned up loud so we don't hear the cries from those around us. Once we have stopped we don't send the person to social services or the church or the police but we try and persoanlly respond to the need.
Our homes and our family unit - we discussed how we make the best use of our homes, don't underestimate the power of an invite! Jesus spoke so much about inviting people, who sits where, who gets the best food, who cleans the feet, invite those who can't invite you back. It is a big deal in some cultures but we are not naturally strong at this in the West.
How do we include our families in the 'justice' journey? Well great wisdom is needed! But I want my children to be able to walk the Jericho Road and be street wise as well as remaining compassionate. At meal times in my house we sometimes discuss people on the Jericho Road. When I told my children that some people drink so much alcohol that their liver fails and as a result their skin turns yellow, the kids asked me, Are the Simpsons, the TV cartoon family, alcoholics!
Local church projects - obviously I am great believer in the value of church projects, simply the financial and physical resources plus the leadership challenge required lead to churches operating expressions of compassion. It is good for the church, changing the demographics of those in the church plus helping people outside the church have their view of the church improved, as long as we do a good job of course.
Repaving the Jericho Road - "We are called to play the Good Samaritan on life's roadside... but one day we must come and see that the whole Jericho Road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar. It comes to see that a system that produces beggars needs to be repaved. We are called to be the Good Samaritan, but after you lift so many people out of the ditch you start to ask., maybe the whole road to Jericho needs repaving." Martin Luther King - a time to break the silence
This is one that requires a push forward for us but we have advantage of 10 years of credibility behind us.
So a great day but only succesful if we go and do likewise!
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