Adam Bray reflects on his peace walk

Day 1: Who are we thanking, and what are we thankful for?

This is what I'm thinking about as I'm walking today.

I hate, I despise your religious feasts;
  I cannot stand your assemblies.
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
  I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
  I will have no regard for them.
Away with the noise of your songs!
  I will not listen to the music of your harps.
But let justice roll on like a river,
  Righteousness like a never-failing stream!
          (Amos 5:14)

On Thanksgiving Day, we give thanks to God for all that he provides. But does God provide for us as individuals or does she provide for us as a world? Scientists say that there is enough food in this world for everyone to eat and not be hungry. This makes sense to a person who believes in the Christian God. Our God is a just God, a God of Love. She would surely provide enough for all.

God even created the great year of Jubilee, the 50th year in the cycle in which all debts are forgiven and land and property returns to whom it belonged to in the beginning. God knew us humans were selfish creatures (of course He knew, He's omniscient), and that's why He created these laws--to restore justice and equality in this world.

The year of Jubilee hasn't been celebrated in a long time. It had already stopped before Jesus was born. We know this because Jesus taught us that it needed to be restored (Matthew 5). Gradually the distribution of the resources God provides us all has grown increasingly unequal and today one billion people suffer from hunger and malnutrition.

As Christians giving thanks to God for what we have, we need to consider whether or not the things we're thankful for are in accordance with God's will. Is it right to give thanks to God for giving us things even though She didn't intend for us to have so much? Could our overindulged American Thanksgiving Day feasts be disrespectful to God when 24,000 of His people will die today from hunger? By the tone of the verses in Amos, it sounds like God could care less about our worshiping and our thanksgiving when justice is not being fulfilled. Amos is reminding us that our religious feasts, our worship, our praise music is all hypocritical if we're not taking God's command to seek justice seriously.

This is a hard thing to think about, because we are not evil, sinful people. We do, however, live in a world, that is in desperate need of change. And we live in a society that is rich enough, and powerful enough to change it. But are we trying? For the time being, we still live in a democracy. That means that if we want change--and as Christians, I believe we are called to--we can't be quiet! We've let too many people suffer. We need to make our voices heard!

For over a decade the U.S. has been trying to undermine the Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein by UN imposed sanctions. The result has been a humanitarian crisis. According to the UN, over 500,000 children under the age of 5 have died in Iraq because of hunger caused by sanctions. In addition, electricity capacity that has been crippled by bombs, stands at a third of 1990 levels which affects hospitals, food supplies, and schools. Only 41 percent of the people have access to clean water and 83 percent of the nation's schools are in dire need of repairs. Meanwhile, we exploit the Iraqi resources that help us maintain our privileged lifestyle, driving our kids to soccer practice in SUVs (the gas-guzzling sports utility vehicles that were made to drive off-road through the mountains--why do people want them for use in a city and suburbs?). What would Jesus drive?

I hope I don't sound too accusatory. Believe me, I'm as big of part of the world's suffering as anyone. We all contribute to the world's suffering by the way we live. This is what I'm thinking about as I'm walking today.

Last updated: November 26, 2002