“You say, ?I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.??But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” -Revelation 3:17
Several years ago I spent a week doing mission work in Haiti. Of course, the physical poverty was overwhelming. But I was surprised to discover that Haitians have a wealth of relationships in their neighborhoods, in their families, and in their churches. Their neighborhoods in particular are genuine communities. One of the reasons why is because Haitians walk everywhere. In fact, they spend most of their time outdoors.
The relational contrast when I returned to America was stark. Our abundance of physical possessions is offset by our our almost complete absence of significant relationships. If Haitian neighborhoods highlighted their relational wealth in contrast to their physical poverty, American neighborhoods highlight our relational poverty in contrast to our physical wealth.
My thoughts at the time of my arrival back in the States turned to the church at Laodicia in Revelation 3. Christians believed they were doing great because they had so much physical wealth. But God, looking at their spiritual lives and their social interactions, declared them “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.”
Sometimes, when I drive down neighborhood streets, I remember that passage and wonder what God thinks of us and our neighbors. Most residential streets in America represent what we call “the American Dream”: nice homes, a couple of cars in front, a relatively crime free neighborhood, and good schools.
But I’m pretty sure that what God sees on the streets of America is a relational desert. The God whose very nature is love, who exists as a loving Trinity, and who commands us to love – both himself and our neighbor – sees very little interaction at all, let alone love, between us Americans.
And that is where we Christians come in. The one thing we have to offer our communities is the one thing we have come to know: the love of Christ. It takes thought and time and effort, but it is possible to love our neighbors as our self. So I invite you to join me on a journey that begins in a desert, but ends in a garden.
This post first appeared in NewCommandment.org.
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2 thoughts on “What God Thinks of the American Dream”
That’s so true, Ed. Happy New Year!
YES, concerning your Haiti comment, been there twice a week at a time. Next to our relationship with Jesus, our relationships in our church and community are the most important to the LORD.