Haiti and Micah 6:8

Dear Friends,
Like many of you, I’ve been following the reports of the Baptist missionaries that were being held in Haiti for charges of “kidnapping” the 33 children that were stopped at the border without correct paperwork. As of the writing of this blurb, all but two have been released. One of the online articles (a mainline media source) invited a reader’s poll: should they be charged (they broke the law) or shouldn’t they (they were naïve and meant well)? The results were over 70% that they SHOULD be charged. Voters were also encouraged to give comments on an online blog. I voted so I could see the results and read the blogs. I was disheartened by what I read…

I wasn’t so concerned about the poll results. I can understand both sides. I was concerned about the vehement “Christian bashing” on the blogs. Over half of the responses railed against the self righteous sins of Christianity across the ages. The strong anti-Christian sentiment was the platform for a militant attitude to try the missionaries as kidnappers, traffickers, and potential sex traders. “It’s time to make example of extremist Christians who hide behind the cross to rape, pillage, and plunder!”

Wow. Where do these extreme reactions come from? How do we respond as individual Christians and members of Christian organizations (like our school and church) to these toxic attitudes? I don’t have easy answers to these questions, do you?

The only answer that makes sense is to be good and do the right thing. One verse has come to my mind over and over again in the last few days, one of my favorites, Micah 6:8:

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Justice is what God does. To act justly requires courage, thoughtfulness, wisdom, and prayer. Mercy is an aspect of God, the undeserved blessing that we receive – and give to others. Humility results we understand who we are. Even the most powerful and strong, the confident and self assured, must show humility. I believe that we – Christians – must act justly and love mercy, then walk humbly. If we do this, we will be blameless and can face the scorn of those that rail against us.

Be good, Micah 6:8 good, both in Haiti, and here at home. It’s a start.