My Little Activist

I am a reluctant activist. I'd much rather hole up in my room and pray for change than actually take any actions to see it come to pass, especially if that action = confrontation. But as I have mentioned in other posts, God won't let me. (An English major aside: how did we get won't from will not? And does anybody ever say Cannot you? We say, "can't you" all the time, so why not "cannot you"? Sorry, back to the point). And now neither will my son.

It started out innocently enough. We were reading a book about Puerto Rico. Among other things it mentioned how Puerto Ricans can vote in the primary, but not the national presidential election. So, we talked about the difference between the two. Which led to talking about the candidates. Which led Toby to ask me who I am going to vote for. Which led me to say, "I don't know yet, because I agree with the candidates on some issues and not on others." Which led Toby to ask, "What issues?" I gave him some examples, one of which was abortion. Which led him to ask (repeatedly) "Why don't we write them a letter?"

Sigh. I hate writing politicians. But Toby's logic prevailed and so I let him write a letter. He decided to write a letter to the mayor of our city about his recent decision to allow an abortion clinic in. He wrote a two sentence letter complete with an illustration to emphasize his point. We have yet to hear back from the Mayor.

But God has used Toby, and often uses Toby to get at my apathy, my cynicism. I drag my feet when it comes to being more proactive in politics and other areas because I do not think it will make a difference. But then I am confronted by Toby and God with, "why not try?"

In Brian McLaren's book Everything Must Change he relates a story about two women who helped to build a school. He says something that I need to take to heart, "As this mother and daughter told me their story . . . I realized that the simple action of one family, not a big NGO, not a huge government program, but a simple family project of neighborliness and humanity -- illustrated the kind of subversive faith and action that can stop the suicide machine and build, in its place, a better world." (McLaren p.279)

Cannot you see it? You, me, we can change the world. The Kingdom of God is here, Jesus is with us. "If God is with us, who can be against us?"