Advocacy and Assets

Homewood has popped up in the local media here in Pittsburgh several times this week. Earlier this week a twelve year old girl was missing (she was found later in the evening). Then, yesterday a popular local restaurant had a fire. Several people have mentioned these things to me over the past couple of days, and each conversation tends to reinforce the paradigm that only bad things happen in Homewood. Many people often note that the "news" is really only bad news, and that definitely seems to be the case in Homewood. Often only news of violence or tragedies in the community receive press.

However, as followers of Christ we are called to proclaim Good News. In fact, if you are a Christian, then you have a biblical mandate to advocate for the poor... not speak negatively about them. In "City of God, City of Satan" author Robert Linthicum writes, "God's disposition toward the poor is perhaps one of the most important themes in Scripture... Integral to God's commitment to the poor is Yahweh's assumption that the chief defenders of the poor must be God's prophets, apostles, and people. It is a primary task of the church in the city to be the advocate and champion of those who are poor. We are often their only voice - a voice to which the principalities and powers of the city must listen."

As a Christian, do you speak positively or negatively about the poor? Do you point out the problems with poor people or their assets? Your words have tremendous weight! Please don't become as cynical as the evening news!