Day 9: A Different Guide

Last night I was fortunate enough to go to a lecture by Brain Walsh at Trinity Western University. The title of the lecture was Beyond Homelessness: Globalization and Homecoming in Christian Perspective, which is a pretty good indicator of what he talked about. Apparently he has a new book coming out soon on this topic, and he spoke a lot about facts and statistics, all of which were fascinating and frustrating at the same time. The divide between rich and poor is increasing in our world and even within Western nations.

What I appreciated most, though, was something he said at the end, when he told a bit of a story that will ultimately be part of the introduction to his book. Walsh compared the stories of two individuals living in Toronto, one a homeless cocaine addict and the other a wealthy world traveler living in a luxurious condominium. The homeless man sufferred, but also had a community of people who cared for him and allowed him to do the same for them. He was rooted in his city and had a deep connection to its people, landscapes, and natural elements. The wealthy man, on the other hand, lived quite comfortably, but had no connection to the city or its people. In other words, both men were homeless.

One of the things that has been bothering me in the last year is this nagging feeling that the gospel is rarely incarnated into the lives of wealthy Western individuals. I personally am oftentimes quick to condemn the rich, but I don't think this sort of black/white thinking is either helpful or right. The wealthy are experiencing their own forms of homelessness and disconnectedness. They are just as desperate for Jesus as the poor man on the street. The only problem is it takes a lot more creativity to proclaim and demonstrate gospel realities to a person in this situation. But it needs to be done.

May his kingdom come. Amen.