To another group of people, at another time, the Apostle Paul said: “I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together.” (1 Corinthians 11:17 NLT)
Read: Amos 5: 21-27
Back in 1974, singer/songwriter Garth Hewitt began to pen song lyrics that made a lot of western Christians extremely uncomfortable.
For example, in his song “The People of the West (Amos rides again)” he writes:
“You’ve silenced your prophets, You’ve shut down your dreamers, Your life blood is money, You’re exploiting the poor – Oh the people of the West, they just love to invest in a system that keeps the poor man poor… higher living standards, that’s the God you adore…”
The seventies marked a period when self-centredness and consumerism were on the rise in western society, and the church was being carried along with this prevailing trend. The church was characterised by a focus on personal needs, of happy worship that made them feel safe, nourished, and happy. Consequently, songs reminding Christians of the poor and hungry were not popular. In short, the church increasingly became part of the problem, as it encouraged its people to focus on the things of heaven and forget the incarnational aspects of being a follower of Jesus. Surely, the argument ran, that’s for the state to sort out, not for the church to meddle in.
Garth Hewitt remained true to his prophetic calling, founding the Amos Trust that has brought help and hope to many of the world’s poor, over the years was joined in God’s incarnational work by churches and individuals that recognised that God’s Kingdom work was much more encompassing than just personal salvation.
It was slightly scary to note, that when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, many western churches rushed to get worship services online; it was also heartening to note the efforts made by many to keep on serving their communities in practical ways, and to continue to speak out for the poor and disadvantaged in our increasingly self-centred and selfish world.
Maybe this time we’ve learned the lesson…
Here are some words from another of Garth Hewitt’s songs, “Walk in His shoes”:
“He’s a friend of the poor, he brings good news, a friend of the oppressed he walks in their shoes – he hungers for justice for those born to lose, he’s the healer of the broken, confused and abused – and those of us who follow him must walk in his shoes.”
How is Jesus asking us to walk in his shoes…and in the shoes of the poor…at this time?
Pilgrim Traveller 