More Musings, More Urban Christians
As the name of my blog suggests, I identify myself as urban and Christian. And "Musings" is a carefully chosen word in the title, as well, since I tend to be more of a thinker, having graduated from an Ivy League school.
Earlier this week, I was mentally combing my circle of contacts for other urban Christian musers. And I was alarmed to conclude (at least at first blush; I'll have to pore through my contact lists on Facebook and LinkedIn to verify this) that a very small proportion of people I know are fellow urban Christian musers like me.
Now don't get me wrong: not everyone has to be an urban Christian muser. God certainly uses non-urbanites and non-musers in His Kingdom; for that matter, He tends to use a lot of non-Christians, as well (see below).
Still, it saddens me that I don't know more urban Christian musers. I know a lot of Christian musers, but who don't live in cities, I even know some who do live in cities, but don't necessarily identify themselves with urban people and urban issues.
Even worse, in one sense (although absolutely a good thing in another sense), I know a lot of urban musers who aren't actively Christian, aren't all Christian, or are even hostile to the Christian faith; and yet, lacking the foundation of relationship with God the Father and the teachings of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, they are more engaged in the sort of urban issues that the Bible talks a whole lot about and instructs the believer to be about.
There are many indications of a life seized by God for His purposes. Church attendance and outwardly pious behavior are but two, and fairly shallow ones at that. I would consider that we Christians would also experience and exhibit a peace, a purity, and a purpose that the world does not know. I would think that we all, wherever we happen to live, work, and worship, would be mindful of our neighbors, and of our social, political, and economic connections with them. And I would hope that some among us would be called to be those kind of neighbors in urban settings, rubbing elbows with urban people and giving thought to urban issues.
My hope and prayer is that my early sweep of my mental address book is incorrect, and/or that I don't know enough about the people I know, and/or I don't know enough people. Either way, I pray as Jesus taught His disciples to pray: "The harvest is plentiful; pray to the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers."
Earlier this week, I was mentally combing my circle of contacts for other urban Christian musers. And I was alarmed to conclude (at least at first blush; I'll have to pore through my contact lists on Facebook and LinkedIn to verify this) that a very small proportion of people I know are fellow urban Christian musers like me.
Now don't get me wrong: not everyone has to be an urban Christian muser. God certainly uses non-urbanites and non-musers in His Kingdom; for that matter, He tends to use a lot of non-Christians, as well (see below).
Still, it saddens me that I don't know more urban Christian musers. I know a lot of Christian musers, but who don't live in cities, I even know some who do live in cities, but don't necessarily identify themselves with urban people and urban issues.
Even worse, in one sense (although absolutely a good thing in another sense), I know a lot of urban musers who aren't actively Christian, aren't all Christian, or are even hostile to the Christian faith; and yet, lacking the foundation of relationship with God the Father and the teachings of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, they are more engaged in the sort of urban issues that the Bible talks a whole lot about and instructs the believer to be about.
There are many indications of a life seized by God for His purposes. Church attendance and outwardly pious behavior are but two, and fairly shallow ones at that. I would consider that we Christians would also experience and exhibit a peace, a purity, and a purpose that the world does not know. I would think that we all, wherever we happen to live, work, and worship, would be mindful of our neighbors, and of our social, political, and economic connections with them. And I would hope that some among us would be called to be those kind of neighbors in urban settings, rubbing elbows with urban people and giving thought to urban issues.
My hope and prayer is that my early sweep of my mental address book is incorrect, and/or that I don't know enough about the people I know, and/or I don't know enough people. Either way, I pray as Jesus taught His disciples to pray: "The harvest is plentiful; pray to the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers."
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