Psalm 82
Maybe it's because I just returned from the United Church of Christ's General Synod or maybe it's just something that's been in my heart for a while now, but today's Psalm is leading me to what is known in some churches as a call to action.
The one thing that has been going through my mind and heart is the theme of "Christian Quietism". I first heard this phrase a few weeks ago while listening to a talk being given by Allan Boesak. He described Christian Quietism as what polite Christians have developed. A polite Christian, he went on to say, is the Christian who stands by and complains about what is being said in God's name and doesn't do anything about it, mostly because they don't want to cause any disruptions.
I am guilty of being a polite Christian, and therefore am guilty of Christian Quietism. I stand by as some Christians talk about God hating and people needing to be "saved" or they will go to hell. I don't do anything as I watch other Christians talk about God's conditional love when every ounce of my being understands that to be completely false.
Today's Psalm serves as a reminder that God's vision is for the needy and the destitute to be comforted in the knowledge that there is a God who stands by their side. It also serves as a reminder that the polite Christians need to begin spreading this message: God's love is unconditional, and as a Christian so is mine.
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