Joining God's Mission

I went on a walk through Homewood last night, as I so often do with Julie on warm summer evenings. We walked right past a group of people who were unloading their belongings from a Uhaul truck into a brand new house. A pastor friend of ours, the same friend who built our home six years ago, was also the builder of the home that they were moving into. We stopped and talked to the new couple in our neighborhood. They're a young married couple who have an infant daughter, and they're really excited to be owning a home in Homewood. We talked briefly about the good things that are going on in our neighborhood. We all have a sense of anticipation and hope, despite the fact that there have been several homicides in our area over the past month. We are active participants in God's redemptive mission, and we will not choose to define our streets or the people in them by what's wrong. We're focusing on what's right with our neighborhood, and we're building on that. 

When you look for signs of hope in struggling urban neighborhoods, you begin to see the work of the Holy Spirit in remarkable places. Just this evening I passed a house where a daughter was sitting on his front porch with his daughter helping her with homework. Yes, there are absentee fathers in Homewood, but there are also many actively engaged fathers who do a good job with parenting. Some kids stopped by my house for an after school snack, and they're excited about what's going on at their school and in their community. Yes, there are kids who cause harm in my neighborhood, but most of the kids love their neighborhood and they contribute to the fabric of the community. Families are moving in. Residents who have been here for a long time are enjoying contributing to things getting turned around here, and they're welcoming new neighbors. We look out for one another. We're not forcing anyone out. We're working together as we participate in God's Story as it is manifested in our own streets and homes.

God was at work in my urban neighborhood long before I arrived here, and God will always be at work going forward. Transformation is a process that takes time, and it also requires presence and patience. Simple solutions and slick programs don't work in a neighborhood facing complex problems. Neighbors working together, building meaningful relationships, and rallying around our community are what's important. God is at work in all of those things. I am thankful to be a participant in God's grand narrative.