As followers of the crucified and resurrected Christ, we are actually wealthy in ways we could never imagine. We are called into a wealth of which we could never dream, and we are called to give such wealth to those around us, as it knows no scarcity.
To powers and principalities, this vision of never-ending wealth is terrifying: if such a resource is infinite, from where will they seize their power? Jesus had to confront these powers directly. He could not give into a culture of “niceness.” The culture of niceness doesn’t address societal issues.
We are called to side with the poor. We are called to defy the powers of death, fear and scarcity not just for ourselves but also for one another. I recognize this is difficult. I am terrified of choosing a side. I thought being a follower of Christ was to be on everyone’s side and be nice to others. I am now realizing that by choosing a side, God desires all to have abundance, not just in heaven but here and now.
This message is excerpted from “God chooses a side” by Tuhina Verma Rasche in the April 2019 Gather magazine. Today we commemorate Toyohiko Kagawa, renewer of society, 1960.
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