Freedom and struggle...

The notion of 'struggle' (i.e., political action, social intervention, destabilization of all oppressive structures in society) is a necessary precursor to social freedom.  I think that the same could be said for religious freedom - it takes energy, intervention, and of course a fair amount of courage to become who we are truly intended to be!

The converse reality is of course that there is always a resistance to such action.   Most of us seek to maintain the status quo - even when it is not good!  Have you ever heard the saying 'rather the devil you know than the one you don't?'  Yup, society and individuals resist change, particularly when it is costly and sacrificial.  This can be said of small things (like waking up at 4am to go cycling so that one can prepare for a race), and larger things (like choosing not to be part of the way in which society structures itself towards the enrichment of the few and impoverishment of the many).  I struggle with both of these on so many levels.  Of course there are many, many other areas in my life where action is necessary for me to grow towards freedom - I need to find more time to pray and read the scriptures, I need to create more opportunities to encounter broken people and places so that my heart remains compassionate, I need to find better resources that help me to shape and inform my prayer life, I need to travel less so that I can spend more time with my family, I need to be more deliberate about what I write, say, and do in order to influence greater change in the individuals and structures that surround me...  The list could go on and on!

What I realised in my prayer time on this first Saturday of Lent was that freedom is costly!  It requires intentional planning, and sacrificial action.  It is not comfortable, but it is necessary and the rewards are great.  Here is a verse from scripture that has touched me today:

For the hurt of my poor people I am hurt, I mourn, and dismay has taken hold of me. Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of my poor people not been restored?

- Jeremiah 8:21-22

For the past few weeks I have been doing quite a bit of work with our nation's politicians - Hellen Zille, Mosioua Lekota, Mvume Dandala, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge, Andre Gaum and a few others.  I have also been working with close to 300 religious leaders from across Africa and Southern Africa this week.  The constant refrain has been the application of intentional effort and sacrifice in order to initiate change towards true freedom!  Most of these persons have been engaged towards the http://www.unashamedlyethical.com campaign.  PS, you can watch the video here with a few of these persons here: http://www.unashamedlyethical.com/video/video.html

Well, what has amazed me in this process has been the reaction that I have come up against from all quarters - people resist change!  I have encountered many who have been very critical of our attempts to address social and religious 'evil' in an attempt to work towards freedom.  People like the status quo!  We don't like challenge or change...

Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning.

- Frederick Douglass,
from his speech celebrating West India Emancipation Day (August, 1857)