Part
Two: Inactive Outrage
By Lexi Cole Ellis
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the
rights of the poor and needy.”
Proverbs 31:8-9 (NIV)
Yesterday, I
shared about my sister’s recent trip and how an overbooked flight benefited her
versus the negative incidents of overbooking a few years ago. It reminded me
that despite all the outrage, nothing really changed the policy of airlines
selling more tickets than seats on the plane.
In addition to
being a culture of short-lived outrage, we are also a society that often
prefers inactive outrage: ranting instead of solutions. We already saw
yesterday that outrage over the right things is biblical. Jesus was righteously
angry in Matthew 21 when He saw God’s House being used for profit instead of
worship. But Jesus goes beyond just being outraged. He then clears the temple;
He actively does something with His outrage. So how do we move away from
short-lived, nonactive outrage and pursue righteous action?
Outrage without
action is just ranting and passivity...even if that outrage is over something
valid and biblical. Our outrage for the right things needs to be “long-term
active.” We desperately need to move beyond posting and ranting our outrage on
social media and instead move into actively doing something. While we might not
“clear the temple” like Jesus did in Matthew 21, we can get involved by either
giving financially or serving with our time for organizations that promote godly
justice. We can realign our calendar to make disciplemaking and spiritual
relationships a priority in how we rear and build our families. We can recommit
to a life of prayer, actively praying that His Spirit would convict us for
where we can do our part…that God would then open doors.
Jesus’ ministry
looked at both the spiritual and physical needs of others. How different would
our society’s opinion of Christians be if believers started collectively and
actively living that way? What kind of advancements for the Kingdom would we
see if believers started using their outrage and their passions for social
justice and promoting the gospel by taking prayerful, small steps of
action?
The outrage over
airlines’ overbooking flights has since died down. May our outrage over
injustice and our active pursuit in disciplemaking not.
Going Deeper:
- Take time to listen to Matthew West’s song,
“Do Something.” Click HERE to listen to it. What could you
do?
Further Reading:
Lexi’s family consists of her, her husband, Andrew, her
daughter, Sloane, and her dog, Calvin. She teaches sixth grade Reading and
Writing and serves with Children’s Ministries.
