Can't Breath

“I can’t breathe,” is the statement that has been heard around the world through mass media and social media.  A statement exclaimed from the now deceased Eric Garner as his life was been choked away from him.  It’s simple.  When we can’t breathe, nothing else matters.  And this is the sentiment that is pervading every level of our society from pundits to the poor.  It’s unfathomable to think that the value of a person’s life can be taken with such minimal regard.  Just as unconscionable is how polarizing this and many other examples that we've been inundated with since the Trayvon Martin’s case.  The invention of camera phones and social media brings the stories we've only heard about to life and that cannot and should not be ignored.  As it stands, many have decided to pick a side. 

Division within communities have become overtly apparent by those who have been vocal about their discontentment of police brutality and seemingly failure by the judicial system to hold individuals responsible and those who have taken the position of deaf by volition.  In response, many have taken to the streets and streaming their comments through various social media outlets.  Passions are running high at an alarming rate, provocations of protests for change have ensued, and prescriptions to resolve these societal struggles outlie both local and national levels.  In response to the tragedies that have befallen our nation, Al Sharpton now urges a national march on Washington to serve notice to our leaders, politicians, the powerful, and the weak that we will no longer stand for the inequities that are still so prevalent in our communities.  The hope is for those who have been empowered to legislate and serve the people to essentially “raise their game.”  Pshaw!  The very notion that some social movement is what this or any other nation needs pale by comparison the greatest power we have access to use.  However, I’d like to quote a couple of socialist before explicating about this power I speak of.

• Socialist Charles Till defines social movements as a series of contentious performances, displays and campaigns by which ordinary people make collective claim on others.
• Sidney Tarrow defines social movement as collective challenges [to elites, authorities, other groups or cultural codes] by people with common purposes and solidarity in sustained interactions with elites, opponents and authorities.

Civil Rights Activist Al Sharpton calls for a national march on Washington because, “We have no confidence in local state prosecutions because state prosecutors work hand in hand with the local police.”  Therefore, this campaign would coincide with the words of Charles Till and Sidney Darrow.  So, kudos must be given to the Rev. Al Sharpton!  I agree that we must not put our trust in local state agencies to deal with or handle the systemic issues plaguing our communities.  They do not possess the insight nor the foresight as to how to build communities that are vibrant, life giving and life sustaining, transformative, empowering, and communities that build up and not tear down.  A community as I just described requires the unique ability to see beyond what we are seeing.  Therefore, seeing beyond requires an individual to not ignore the glaring issues and at the same time not being consumed by what is seen.  In reality, what is seen is what has always been in our world, brokenness.

We've always been in a world that has been filled with violence, murder, racial tension, corruption, rich and poor people, people of power and people that are systemically depowered, people of affluence and people pushed to the margins of society, and a world that produces minimal to no hope.  How do we respond to the depravity that infects our world?  What do we do with the anger that rests in our heart as our heart ache at the condition of the world?  Where do we find hope?  Do we find hope through ranting our displeasure through various media and social media outlets?  Do find hope by wielding our power of public demonstrations of protests and marches?  Sadly, all of our efforts to remedy the brokenness creates little to no progress, but yields to a deeper level of hopelessness.  The power to transform never rested upon any one person or group of people.  The power to transform is not of this world nor has it ever been.  The power I refer to exists only in eternity that entered into this world and finally resides in everyone that surrenders to the Lordship of Christ.  The power I speak of is simply the gospel. 

From the pages of Jesus’ earthly ministry, we’re able to peer into His methodology for community transformation.  Am I saying that protests and public demonstrations should never occur?  Not at all.  I am suggesting that these social movements be understood as a means and not be viewed as the solution to all that is wrong in this world.  Obviously, Jesus participated in some forms of public demonstrations to communicate His displeasure.  However, they were the means and not the ends for community transformation.  Community transformation began at the local level with relationships with individual(s) and small communities (families) that led to eventual and apparent change.

An example local and grass root change is personified in the life of the maniac in the tombs.  A man that exhibited demonic torment and poor community efforts.  The demon oppressed the man spiritually and the community oppressed him physically.  The community’s effort to “fix” the problem only created further pain and isolation of this man.  An encounter with Jesus changed all of that.  Transformation was the result of the encounter, and the no-longer demon possessed man found himself desiring to follow Jesus.  But he was denied that opportunity.  He was left with a mission.  The transformed man was instructed to participate in the transforming of community by going to, “your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you (Mark 5:19).”  Obedience to these instructions followed because he went throughout Decapolis while Jesus departed at the community’s request.

Later, in Mark 7:25, there is a significantly different tone emanating from the community.  No longer were they requesting that Jesus leave, but the community brought other broken people to Him.  What changed?  The man formerly known as maniac happened!  The “once demon possessed” man that experienced both spiritual and physical oppression was transformed and called to participate in community transformation.  What ensued was Decapolis (group of ten cities) was turned upside down.  No longer were the people in the community rejecting the power but embracing the power that transforms lives and communities.

How do we practically apply this to the societal ills that we encounter in this world?  We start with establishing a Christocentric posture.  A Christocentric life demands love of God and neighbors.  Therefore, the relationships that we have and will have creates the synergy to effect change.  A gospel-centered approach allows for us to start close then move outward.  The gospel challenges us to see where there is brokenness, engage it, and see transformation occur.  One life (community) at a time becomes infectious to other lives (communities).  The ripple effects are not only felt by the communities, but it can be felt in the city and beyond.

Unfortunately, grass root transformation rarely gets the type attention as much as marches and other forms of public protests.  Therefore, the body Christ must resist the temptation of desiring to being seen and heard, but allowing our light to shine that men may notice and turn to God.  This is the Christocentric approach of local and national transformation.  Simply put, we trust in the power of Jesus rather than the power of demonstration.