Out of My Chair

"I know that in one single room thirteen crowded people are breathing on one another.

I know a mother who hooks the table and the chairs to the ceiling to make room for mattresses.

I know that rats come out to eat the crusts, and bite the babies.

I know a father who gets up to stretch oilcloth above the rain-soaked bed of his four children.

I know a mother who stays up all night, since there is room for only one bed, and the two children are sick.

I wish it were not true.

I wish I could convince myself that I'm dreaming.

I wish someone could prove that I'm exaggerating.

I wish they'd show me that all these people have only themselves to blame, that it's their fault they are so miserable.

I'd like to be reassured, Lord, but I can't be. It's too late.

I've seen too much,

I've listened too much,

I've counted to much, and, Lord, these ruthless figures have robbed me forever of my innocent tranquility."

--from "Housing" by Abbe Michel Quoist

After the Health Care bill passed, I was depressed. Angry. Sick of free lunches, sick of the redistribution of wealth, sick of politicians who won't listen to a word the public is saying, sick of President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and the rest of them.

And then there were the free-riders. The loafers who came crawling out of the woodwork looking for their free stuff. Free stuff at my expense and without my consent.

All I could think was: "Go get a job" or "Get out of your chair and stop looking for hand-outs." After all, I figured they were all in their bad situations because of something they'd done--or something they refused to do.

And then I found that prayer above in an old prayer book from 1954 and I realized that it doesn't matter. It's not my place to question why or how they ended up where they are. Jesus never told us to give to the poor and ease their burdens IF they deserve it. He simply told us that it is our job here on earth to love the unlovable and to bring water to the thirsty and food to the hungry.

When we do this--when we obey the words of our Lord--two things happen. First, we temporarily ease the burdens of those who are suffering--even if they're suffering of their own accord. Secondly, we grow closer to Christ because we're letting him use our hands and our feet to bring his presence to a hurting world.

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I don't believe that nationalized health care is the answer to all of our problems. This current socialist agenda we're seeing is not going to solve the problems in our country or in the lives of the poor. What will change our situation, however, is the love of Christ.

When I, as a Christian start acting like Jesus and obeying his words and spending my energy and time and money bringing His love to the struggling ones (and when I stop judging who's worthy and who's not worthy of my efforts), the hurting people will see His love and will find real hope despite their situations.

Lord, let me remember that I'm a free-loader as well. I've sat back while you did all the work of my salvation. I'm just sitting here reaping the benefits. Let that change, Lord. Get me out of my chair. Get me out of my front door. Put me in front of the toothless and dirty and homeless, the addicts, the struggling, the ugly and undesirable ones. And use my hands and my feet and my mouth to bring them comfort and peace.