if we are the body...

I've been reading this book called The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. Lately, I've been really convicted about the way that the church is responding to the poverty and suffering of people in our backyard. But even more recently, I have been convinced that it is more important to strive to become the church that Jesus wants us to be instead of complain about what the church is doing wrong. Here is an excerpt from the book.

I remember hearing about an old comic strip back in the days of St. Ed's. Two guys are talking to each other and one of them says he has a question for God. He wants to ask why God allows all of this poverty and war and suffering to exist in the world. And his friend says, "Well, why don't you ask?" The fellow shakes his head and says he is scared. When his friend asks why, he mutters,"I'm scared God will ask me the same question." Over and over, when I ask God why all of these injustices are allowed to exist in the world, I can feel the Spirit whisper to me, "You tell me why we allow this to happen. You are my body, my hands, my feet."

If we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching, why aren't His hands healing, why aren't His words teaching?

-E