A Time for Revolution

John Roush There are a few people who make things happen - others watch things happen and the overwhelming majority have no idea what is happening. Entering the second half of 2011, our country is aching for change. It is truly a time unlike any other I have seen in my lifetime.  The housing crisis - the banking crisis - the unemployment rate and the outsourcing of jobs and manufacturing are but a few of the oppressive socio/economic realities Americans face today. As I communicate with the disenfranchised at a street level and in middle class neighborhoods, I hear a growing despair in their worldview.  "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." (Pro. 13:12)   A culture of despair is growing among many that have become disillusioned with "The American Dream."  A revolt may be fomenting within the next decade if the gap between the rich and the working poor continues to grow. As an advocacy network of Christian activists it is time for us to renew our focus on the difference we can each make within our various spheres of influence.   We cannot divorce ourselves from the political & economic processes within our communities.   We are called to infiltrate the systems of mankind as "sheep among wolves" with the good news of God's Kingdom. Imagine what it would be like if the Church in the United States, (that currently possesses 5.2 trillion dollars in assets) decided to invest their resources in local economies.  What would it be like if we boycotted Wal-Mart that imports 80% of it's inventory from China and promotes slave labor in Bangladesh?  How many jobs could be created if we fostered the idea of creating value rather than credit? There are a few people who make things happen - others watch things happen and the overwhelming majority have no idea what is happening.       We must remember the words of Jesus... "You are the light of the world, a city set upon a hill cannot be hidden."  (Matt. 5:14)  The implications are clear. -John Roush