As a Christian I believe that we all have a divine call to God's service and that we are called to lead a life worthy of our vocation. For those called to serve people and communities we are admonished to do our work with humility, gentleness, patience, and love, to work for unity of the spirit and peace.
I realized almost 3 decades ago that I was being called to be an evangelist for the cause of justice. It was not so much a realization as a personal imperative. Since my childhood I have been deeply empathic. In many ways an outsider who enjoyed certain insider privileges, I was familiar with the pain of isolation, the anger of injustice, the feelings of helplessness in the face of religious intolerance and lawful discrimination.
The hopefulness I have found in my vocation has been steadfast and enduring. Each of us was given the gift of grace, some to be followers, some diviners, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers.
What is your calling and are you today living a life worthy of your vocation?
Recently I have become involved with a local community development organization where I quickly found myself conflicted, the clarity of my justice calling abandoning me. There are the expected challenges of any community-based organizations, and then there are the much more complex community manifestations of more global issues for economic and social justice. Layered on to this add the conflicts that take on tones of race, gender and sexual orientation.
Reservoir Hill has a long and storied history. There are conflicts between the haves and the have nots. There are new comers, some the gay urban pioneers, with grand renovated homes, long-term residents who struggle to afford the
repairs and upkeep required, Black professional, churches and synagogues. There are pockets of concentrated poverty—fenced in to keep the bad elements at bay—trapped by the very intervention intended to improve their state. Of course there are underlying issues and racial divisions which can without warning erupt to the surface. And then there is the hope, the opportunity, the beauty, the potential to lead the way in urban developments. Across the nation, gentrification and similar community transitions are presenting some of the most compelling justice challenges of our day.
Many historically African American neighborhoods have experienced these changes. Some of these communities have been perennially wracked with poverty, disenfranchisement, violence and despair; and certainly gentrification can have a positive impact. But change is seldom easy and there often seems to be winners and losers.
I have been examining the arguments and case studies on the impact of these changes on communities. In the coming weeks I plan to share my discovery with you. I hope you will share your advice and counsel as well. I hope to learn, contribute and find a new way to make a difference that brings greater justice.
In the end, each of us must call upon our faith, wisdom, knowledge and that of others to guide the work of our hearts, hands and minds. Whatever your vocation, be mindful of the changes in the environment or area in which you work or practice. Constantly examine your motivations. Seek unity of purpose, work for justice to achieve peace.
