Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“But Peter said, ‘I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, April 9, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Money doesn’t solve every problem. Sure, it helps. A lot. But handing the crippled beggar some money, while it would keep him from starving for the moment, would not affect any real change in his life. The next day, he would still be a crippled beggar, marginalized by society, forced to debase himself just to live what none of us would even consider a life. God, through Peter, changes the man’s life entire—gives him what he actually needs to support himself going forward, and the opportunity for a life far more fulfilling than that which he’s been living.
Donating to charities that meet basic needs is absolutely essential in society. Many of those organizations (full disclosure: I’m a grant writer for one of them) work very hard to extend families dignity and wraparound support so they’re not just getting hand-outs, but a better quality of life. But—and this is a big but—that in itself is not enough. Supporting the immediate needs of families experiencing poverty does not change the systems that create poverty.
The truth is that the U.S. is set up in every way to create and perpetuate poverty in marginalized communities. As Christians, we can certainly give the crippled beggar and all he represents a few coins so he can feed himself for the day. But, as Christians, doesn’t God call us to do more? Aren’t we Peter, through whom God can work to utterly transform lives and create beautiful futures? I saw a wonderful meme of social media today that said, “Loving our neighbors means dismantling the systems that oppress them.” And while I don’t view social media as the gospel, I don’t for a moment deny that God can speak through it.
How am I called to transform the lives of my neighbors?
